The Paul McKay Chandler Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 2009 by members of the Chandler family to honor the memory of Paul McKay Chandler. Paul McKay Chandler was a 1963 graduate of the Sociology Master's program. He taught for the San José State University Administration of Justice Department (now the Justice Studies Department) and served as a Federal Probations and Parole Officer until his retirement at the age of 53. Mr. Chandler was passionate about social justice, and worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Hesperian Foundation. His work made him a nationally recognized expert on social justice in the correctional system, and he was called upon to testify on this subject before Congress.
The Fund is a permanent endowment, awarded each spring to those students who have demonstrated exemplary scholarship in the previous fall and spring as demonstrated by their performance on the research methods or social theory written comprehensive examinations, or similar examinations at the discretion of the Department chair.
Amanda Conley won the 2011 award for excellence in social theory. Ms. Conley was born and raised in Central California and holds a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from California State University, Fresno. After completing her master's degree in Sociology at San José State University, she hopes to continue her education by entering a doctoral program that will allow her to study human rights and social inequality.
Jessica Ramirez won for excellence in research methodology. Ms. Ramirez was born the second of four girls to Honduran parents, and was raised in Honduras. At age sixteen, she chose to come to the United States to pursue a career in medicine. In doing so, she became the first member of her immediate family to come to the United States. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz. After completing her master's degree in Sociology from San José State University, she plans to attend medical school and one day work with underserved communities.
This year's Paul Chandler Scholarship awards luncheon was held in Martin Luther King Library on the San José State University campus, on Friday, February 18th, and was attended by members of the Chandler family, the Sociology Department faculty and staff, and the family and friends of Amanda and Jessica. Some photos from the event are below.
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