Department of Sociology and Criminology
Where the Classroom Meets the Field
By day, Will Kalkhoff, Ph.D., is a professor in Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State's Department of Sociology and Criminology, teaching courses on criminal justice, researching police officer performance and mentoring students on their path to careers in sociology, law enforcement and public safety. On weekends and evenings…
Beyond the Textbook: When Prison Comes to the Classroom
On a November afternoon in Merrill Hall, six women walk into a Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University classroom. They're not guest lecturers with advanced degrees. They're currently incarcerated at the Northeast Reintegration Center (NERC) in downtown Cleveland. And for the next couple hours, they'll share their sto…
Flash Focus: Liberty Prosser
Meet Liberty Prosser, a graduate student furthering her studies in criminology and criminal justice after having graduated from Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State in 2025, with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees – one in sociology with a concentration in social problems, deviance and crime, and another degree in criminology and justice studies with a minor in forensic anthropology.
Mission: Graduation Surprise
When Jayrelis Capeles walked across the stage at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University this spring, she was already brimming with emotion. She had just earned not one, but two degrees — in psychology and sociology — and was celebrating the end of her college journey that began in 2021. But the most unforgettable moment wasn’t the walk or the tassel turn.
‘This Is an Aspect of Wanting to Share Black History in a Way That Is Hopeful’
Accomplished sociologist, TV host, podcaster, author Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State alumna Bertice Berry, Ph.D.,used her alma mater as a familiar setting for her book "BlackWorld," which explores a "unique corner of heaven" where the living can visit with and learn from the deceased. She also some of her memories of Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State and personal insights into the university's place in history.
Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State Professor Studies Young Adults Coming Out of Justice System
Transitioning into adulthood is a difficult thing to do, but having to come out of the criminal justice system as a young adult has different effects on your maturity and experience. Elias Nader, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, wants to better understand wh…
'I feel that I can really offer that empathy'
Graduating senior Delia Brennan applies she learns in the classroom to help survivors of trauma and promote activism in her community.
Sister Act! Siblings Complete Journey to Doctoral Hooding
Sisterhood is a strong bond. For Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State alumnae Brittany and Christina Watts, their sisterly love has been the cornerstone of their academic success, leading them to earn their doctoral degrees and graduate together this May.
Spring Research Forum Topics Include Data Collection in a Noisy World, The Smell of Education and the Social Response to a Disaster
Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State researchers presented their findings in the RASP Spring Research and Innovation Forum.
Sharing Wisdom Through Design
During the Spring 2022 semester, Visual Communication Design students in the Glyphix Design Research Lab have been working on an intergenerational research project combining storytelling and design.