Education Background:

• B.S. (Honors) in commerce and business administration from the University of Illinois
• M.A. in higher education administration from University of Michigan
• M.A. in sociology from Loyola University Chicago
• Ph.D in sociology from Loyola University Chicago

Teaching Philosophy:

My primary goal in the classroom is to help students develop as active learners. This is accomplished through interactive lecturing, which involves soliciting comments and questions from students as we explore the course materials together. I often use cultural prompts such as pictures, live web sites, music and music videos, and clips from DVD's to give students a "handle" by which they may grasp complex sociological concepts. I attempt to incorporate contemporary, real-world examples, especially multi-media issustrations, in all classes.

I also strongly encourage my students to approach the world with a critical eye. How is it that the world has come to be the way it is? How is it that certain values, beliefs, and norms of behavior assume a position of dominance? Do our current social arrangements work to provide for stability and cohesion, or work to privilege some over others? By the end of the term, most students learn to critically question what was previously taken for granted.

I welcome students interested in honors contracts.