Advising

I majored in Sociology at Rutgers-University New Brunswick, and the work that most impacted my perspective was Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier. This book, which unpacked the social complexities of making a living on the streets, opened my eyes to how important it is to view society in comprehensive, layered way instead of in a superficial manner. As such, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to help hundreds of students at the University of Pennsylvania engage in Sociology and make similar connections. Also, although I am many years removed from those days of reading Sidewalk, I continue to bring a sociological lens to much of my own work.

Our department of Sociology at Penn created the Law & Society major in 2023 to provide a path for students to explore and analyze the complex interactions between the legal aspects of society and individuals, groups and populations. This has provided me the opportunity to provide forms of pre-law advising to many students, as we discuss strategies for connecting the curriculum of the major to their aspirations in law, policy, or other professions.