UW-Madison Department of Sociology

Ellen Zhang, a sophomore studying sociology and economics at UW-Madison, won the District 8 Common Council election. Her platform advocates for affordable housing, expanding public transit and pedestrian safety and accessibility across Madison.

District 8, which primarily represents the UW-Madison campus, serves as one of the most politically visible seats on the Madison Common Council because of its large student population and its role in issues affecting campus life, housing and city-university conversations.

Every year, we celebrate three instructors who have gone above and beyond to foster inclusive, challenging, and productive learning environments for our students.

🍎 The recipient of this year’s Student Lecturer Award is Emily Burke (left). Emily was rated “outstanding” in all areas, especially her knack for creating an atmosphere where students felt welcome. Indeed, well over 95% of Emily’s students felt she created a safe space where they could take part. As one student put it, “Emily did a fantastic job in making the lecture feel welcoming and helped alleviate my fear of answering questions.”

🍎 The Teaching Assistant Award went to Yujin “Della" Tao (right). After serving as a teaching assistant for five semesters for Soc 120: Marriage and the Family, Della is now an integral part of this course due to her expertise and organization. Her dedication and detailed comments on assignments, which she provides well before the deadline, have made a significant difference. As one student remarked: “I loved having Della as a TA. Della truly wants all of us to succeed and does a great job of giving specific and helpful feedback.”

🍎 Christine Schwartz (not pictured) was honored with the department’s Faculty Teaching Award. In her long tenure at UW-Madison, Christine’s impact on undergraduate success has been significant; this is especially evident in her role with the Concentration in Analysis and Research (CAR) Program. Renowned for her exceptional organization skills and well-balanced expectations, Christine’s ability to break down difficult topics into more digestible forms makes her a truly exceptional teacher. Whether instructing in the graduate class Demographic Techniques-II or teaching Statistics for Sociologists I, her talent in “assuaging any fear of math” is unsurpassed. One student remarked, “her love of stats made the atmosphere in the class exciting… and she created a positive, non-judgmental learning atmosphere.”

Thank you to all of our teaching award recipients for going above and beyond to give students an exceptional learning experience!

We’re delighted to share that two members of the Sociology Department received Staff Awards from the College of Letters and Science this year! Charlotte Frascona has received the Graduate Advising Award, and Cabell Gathman received an Academic Staff Teaching Excellence Award.

Charlotte Frascona has ushered grad students through the Ph.D. program with great compassion since 2012. Charlotte has a unique ability to reconcile the sometimes byzantine policies of higher education with a sincere and heartfelt concern for her students.

Cabell Gathman has been a lecturer with our department since 2022; she is also teaches for . Students rave about Cabell’s teaching and regularly report that she’s changed the way that they see the world. Her signature extravagant attire makes her an instantly recognizable campus icon.

Martin Eiermann studies the politics of personal data and the consequences of becoming visible to—and being managed by—contemporary state institutions of care and social control.

Some of his recent work tracking the intersections of AI and privacy was featured in L&S News. Read the full article at https://ls.wisc.edu/news/the-politics-of-personal-data.

Thank you to everyone who made a gift during Day of the Badger, with a special thanks to the thirteen folks who gave to the Andrea Michelle Sperka fund! You helped raise $2,598 to support this scholarship for outstanding sociology students and over two million dollars for the University of Wisconsin overall!
Your dedication and material support to the university is more important than ever. Even small actions add up to large results, and we are truly making a difference in the lives of students. Thank you for joining the party to pay it forward!

Don’t have money to give? Comment on this post and say you want to support sociology majors with the Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship!

🚨 CHALLENGE ALERT! CLOSED. CONGRATS Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center!!!
From 12-2 p.m. CT, the fund mentioned most often in the comments will get $500 in additional funds! (One comment per person.)

Check out all the funds you can choose from! ⬇️
dayofthebadger.org/wisalumni26

Please help us remember Andrea Sperka and help other generous students like her this Day of the Badger.

The Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship is awarded each spring to a sociology major who exemplifies the outstanding qualities of a bright and talented former sociology student. This fund was established by Carol and Michael Sperka in memory of their beloved daughter, Andrea Michelle Sperka. Andrea was a senior when she tragically lost her life in an automobile accident in Botswana after completing her studies abroad.

Throughout her undergraduate years, Andrea carried a demanding academic schedule while working to help meet her educational expenses. In addition, Andrea often served as a volunteer, including work with homeless children in Madison and in South Africa. It is in Andrea’s spirit of helping others that Carol and Michael Sperka created this fitting tribute.

By giving to this fund, you can make things a bit easier for sociology majors who go out of their way to make the world a better place, just like Andrea did.

Sociology | Day of the Badger Please help us remember Andrea Sperka and help other generous students like her this Day of the Badger. The Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship is awarded each spring to a sociology major who exemplifies the outstanding qualities of a bright and talented former sociology student. This fund was establ...

Hear from Undergraduate Advisor Lyn Macgregor about why the Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship is so important to our Sociology majors.

Give to Sociology on Day of the Badger! Day of the Badger 2024https://sociology.wisc.edu/2024/02/13/get-ready-for-day-of-the-badger-2024/

Congratulations to David Montalvo, who has been selected to receive a 2025-26 Campus-Wide TA Award!

David Montalvo wins Early Excellence in Teaching Award David Montalvo has been selected to receive a 2025-26 Campus-Wide TA Award. He is one of eleven recipients of the Early Excellence in Teaching Award, which honors TAs with fewer than four semesters of teaching …

Students in the sociology class “Research to Enhance Equity in Education” studied real data from the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). Their research question: Which families are opting not to enroll their children in the Madison school district, and why?

Sociology students present research findings about equity in education to MMSD leaders Students in the sociology class “Research to Enhance Equity in Education” studied real data from the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). Their research question: Which families are opting not to enroll their children in the …