Sociology Department Seeking Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Sociology Department, U Mass Lowell

The Sociology Department is looking for someone to serve as communications and outreach coordinator to continue the fantastic work begun by Jacqueline DiPersio last year. The job is working in the Department offices in Dugan 205 for 7-10 hours a week during the academic year. The primary responsibilities:

1)     Department outreach and publicity

a.      Establish connections with faculty to keep up a steady flow of communication about Department events and other story ideas

b.     Establish relationships with College Communications Director and Web Office to support ongoing work

c.      Maintain Department Facebook page

                                                    i.     Develop story ideas for FB page, conduct interviews, and write stories to post on FB page

                                                  ii.     Maintain activity of FB page by posting stories or relevant links daily or almost daily

                                                iii.     Do outreach to increase Likes/Engagement on FB page

d.     Maintain and further develop Department web page

                                                    i.     Get trained in Website development program

                                                  ii.     Make changes as needed

                                                iii.     Explore adding additional multimedia components

e.      Work with College Communications and Department Chair to develop new print materials for Department outreach

f.      Support the development of networks and community among current students through the creation of a Sociology Club or other mechanisms

2)     Alumni outreach

a.      Support Department efforts to create network of alums through Facebook, events, and other mechanisms

b.     Maintain alum database

c.      Maintain and update list of alums willing to be contacted about careers

We are looking for someone who is a self-starter, a good writer, detail-oriented, and social media savvy. The person also must have excellent in-person communication skills and be able to build relationships with critical people on campus as well as reach out to alums and others to gather information for stories. Creativity is a must, and an understanding and love of our Department is a positive!

If you are interested please contact Department Chair Mignon Duffy at mignon_duffy@uml.edu.

Congratulations to our very own Jacqueline DiPersio!

I recently started a new job as an Outreach and Communications Director for State Representative Linda Campbell of Methuen. My main duties are handling constituent issues within the district, representing my boss at various meetings pertaining to legislature in the State House, attending district events and meetings, and maintaining her social media presence. I also conduct research on legislation and advise the representative on policy creation and policy decisions. By far, the best part of my job is helping out constituents. Before taking this job, I never realized that people call their local representatives with serious issue and that we, the representative and her staff, can play a major role to help. My first case, I was able to help a women increase her food stamp benefits after they were cut significantly.  She was very low on funds and could hardly afford to eat everyday. After many phone calls and emails , we were able to provide proper documentation and reinstate her benefits. There are no words to describe the feeling of being able to help someone out in this way. I was able to make a huge impact in one person's life. Although I just started, I am grateful and excited for this opportunity to help people.

I have found that the world view I developed through studying sociology has helped me excel in this job so far. The perspective I bring to the table is a good balance with the strong political perspectives of my co-workers. The deep compassion and empathy sociologists develop towards others has also proven to be beneficial for this line of work. One thing sociology has taught me is that policy is important in shaping peoples lives.   I am humbled that I can help contribute to the political process to actually help people.

Prof. Susan Tripathy Thomson's class Helps the Homeless People of Lowell

From left to right, 
Christian Nambu
Emily DelDotto
Katelyn Sanderson
Melvin Gomez

Over the course of the 2015 Spring Semester, Prof. Thomson's class has been volunteering at sites throughout the Lowell Community. One group had the pleasure of volunteering at Living Waters Center of Hope in downtown Lowell. Living Waters is non-profit, volunteer run, drop in center for anyone in need. They offer services to the homeless and the housed. Services include Feeding/hunger relief, Guest Services and Homeless Outreach, Educational Support, and Therapeutic/Recreations programs.

Students from Thomson's class volunteered at Living Waters for 3 hours a week throughout the semester. Their regular duties included serving coffee, preparing breakfast for the homeless, and helping with special projects in the Center. One special project coordinated by the students was a pizza party for the homeless named "PizzArt", where the homeless were able to paint pictures and tap into their creative side while snacking on Pizza.

Since March, the group helped organize and plan the event "Different Strokes of the Same Brush: The Homeless Story" Art Exhibit, held on April 18th. The event's purpose was to tell the story of the homeless of Lowell through their own original artwork. The artwork created at the "PizzArt" paint night was displayed throughout  Living Waters, along side quotes from the artist about their experiences dealing with homelessness.

 The students found experiencing the homeless at a personal level very eye opening, "We know about homelessness, we hear about it all the time and even walk by homeless people in Lowell, but this experience put a face to it. Getting to know them personally I learned that they have goals and self respect, they're hardworking and not just sitting around in life" student volunteer Christian Nambu explained. Living Waters "provides a hopeful place and a peaceful environment for people to come, there's no swearing or fighting, they can come just come to talk and express their feelings, it's a community" said Melvin Gomez. The students found the experience very rewarding and personal. Their volunteer work helped change and shape their attitudes toward homelessness. They hope to continue their volunteer work at Living Waters until the end of the Spring 2015 semester.

2015 Graduate Margaret Marcouillier describes her experience as a Sociology Major and her future plans!

I transferred to UMASS Lowell and became a Sociology Major in the fall of 2013.  My decision to major in Sociology changed my life. The Sociology department at UMAS Lowell is unlike any other department on campus. All of the teachers in the department are amazing and they are always supportive of their students. Since it is a smaller department, you become close to all of your teachers and fellow sociology majors; it’s like a small family. The classes and the department helped me choose what I would do after graduation. I was able to take classes that I found interesting, classes that helped me think in different ways, and classes that pushed me in my personal life too. I have taken a few service learning classes that I would recommend to anyone. I had opportunities to observe different locations and interview different people to give me a first-hand, real world experience of what I was learning in my classes.

I’ve learned so much about myself through my experiences, and I have decided to go onto graduate school when I am finished at UMASS Lowell. I have been accepted into the Assumption College program of School Counseling. I plan to become a high school counselor and I hope to help change the lives of the younger generations like UMASS Lowell has done for me.

See What Alumnus Michael Wilkinson is doing post-graduation and the advice he has for current students!

  

Since graduating from the UMass Lowell Sociology program back in December, I have found a job working for the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development at Tufts University. At the Tufts CSDD I have been working with Microsoft Excel and S&P Capital IQ, to do research on operating pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. I have also assisted in writing several letters of solicitation to various companies and foundations, proposing projects that we might do in exchange for grant funding. However, the most interesting thing I have done has been to propose a long-term, multimillion dollar precision medicine research collaboration to senior members of the Tufts CSDD and Northeastern University.

I could never have landed this research job without support from the entire faculty of the Sociology Department. In particular Professor Charlotte Ryan and Jannette Marquez were instrumental in helping me during my time at UML and in completing and presenting my Honors Thesis.

My advice for current students would be to be sure and embrace all the resources you have at your disposal, especially the professors that teach your classes. Every member of the Sociology department is more than happy to help you with any trouble you may be having and even just to chat about mundane topics. They will greatly enjoy hearing what you have to say and you just might make a friend for life. Feel free to drop in and talk to Jannette at any time too, she gets lonely in her office. Also never underestimate the value of the critical thinking skills you are taught in the sociology classroom. While you might not be able to directly put this on your resume or brag about it on a list of your accomplishments, it is a skill that will help you for the remainder of your lives and shape the way you see the world. 

Sociology student Nicole Lynch hired as The Emerging Scholars Program Coordinator!

The Emerging Scholars Program happily brought on board Sociology student Nicole Lynch as the "Emerging Scholars Program Coordinator". The Emerging Scholars Program provides students with a unique year-long opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge gained from courses at UMASS Lowell to a faculty member's on-going research. Students who participate gain valuable research experience and build on their classroom learning. Nicole completed the rigorous Emerging Scholars Program during the 2013-2014 academic year. After noticing her hard work ethic, the Program interviewed Nicole and decided she would be the best fit as the Program Coordinator. 

As the Program Coordinator, Nicole acts as the liaison between the students, the Program, and the faculty members. She mainly communicates with the current emerging scholars to better help guide them throughout the program. "I coordinate monthly meetings with the Emerging Scholar's students to provide a place that we can touch base and come together as a group" said Nicole.

 A great way to get through such an academically rigorous program is by having a strong support system, and her monthly meetings help facilitate a supportive learning environment. "The students can talk freely about their concerns with honesty, and they can receive support and encouragement from myself and other students. All of the students really get to learn from one another and grow throughout the year." After each meeting, Nicole reports back to members of the Leadership Team of the Program. The meetings held by Nicole help give the students a voice, as well as feedback of ways to better improve the Emerging Scholars Program.

 She also plays an essential role in the development and growth of the program, in addition to recruiting new Scholars for next year. Nicole is part of the application and admission process for next years Emerging Scholars. 

 A background in Sociology has given Nicole the tools she needs to excel in her role as Program Coordinator, "I have been able to draw upon my people skills, as well as other valuable skills such as, reading people, empathy, and reading situations, all of which are drawn from my knowledge base in Sociology." 

 The Emerging Scholars Program is an invaluable opportunity for networking with professors, fostering relationships with professors, and developing solid research skills. The Program prepared Nicole for her decision to pursue graduate study after completing her undergraduate degree. She hopes to obtain a Master's Degree in Counseling. If any students are interested in the Emerging Scholars Program and would like more information contact Nicole Lynch at Nicole_Lynch2@student.uml.edu

Alumnus Allison Hajjar works as a Therapeutic Training and Support Mentor after graduation!

 

After graduating in 2013, I began working for The Key Program as a “Therapeutic Training and Support” and “Therapeutic Mentor”. The positions are part of the Massachusetts Children's Behavioral Health Initiative, which is an interagency initiative with the mission to “strengthen, expand and integrate Massachusetts state services into a comprehensive, community-based system of care, to ensure that families and their children with significant behavioral, emotional and mental health needs obtain the services necessary for success in home, school and community.” I generally work with youth (ages 5-21) and their caregivers to assist them in meeting their particular goals. Because every family has their own unique situation and goals, my work greatly varies from client to client. Typical parts of my job are, planning a community based activity for a client, assisting with an In-home Therapy session, assisting a family with coordinating with other service providers, and helping a client or parent navigate systems (school/IEP, DCF, DMH, etc.) My sociology degree provided me with a “big picture” view and very global perspective that has allowed me to be empathetic when working in direct care. Studying under the passionate professors in the UML Sociology Department also taught me to be investigative and innovative. These skills are vital to having an understanding of the population you are working with and being creative, but still effective in how you are improving the issues before you, no matter if they are on an individual level or systematic. My advice to current students: don’t be afraid to talk with professors and other community leaders. Networking helps you know what career options are out there and what employers are looking for.