Sociology and Anthropology Department celebrate the accomplishments of students

Spring semester brings the time when the Department of Sociology and Anthropology gathers to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of our students. It is an event that we greatly anticipate every year, but as you know, 2020 is unlike any other year in the past. Due to COVID19, our in-person celebration was cancelled. However, this does not dampen our enthusiasm for our students or the need to honor them for all that they have achieved. We are excited to recognize and congratulate the following sociology and anthropology students for their outstanding achievements during the 2019-2020 academic year:

JOHN A. KINNEMAN SCHOLARSHIP is the highest academic honor the department bestows on an undergraduate student for academic excellence: Alexis French

: Alexis French

WIB LEONARD SCHOLARSHIP IN QUANTITATIVE / SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT is the newest award of the department that is granted to a student majoring in either sociology or anthropology and is sponsored by Dr. Leonard, professor of sociology, who has taught social statistics over 100 times. The student who has shown competence and passion for the quantitative side of either discipline is: Christian Maynard

: Christian Maynard

DOUGLAS & JANICE LUECKE IRVINE SCHOLARSHIP is awarded to a sociology major of at least sophomore standing who has attained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Due to such a strong pool of applicants, there are two recipients: Courtney Ebersole and Achea Elliott

: Courtney Ebersole

: Achea Elliott

ED JELKS OUTSTANDING ANTHROPOLOGY SENIOR AWARD is named in honor of Dr. Ed Jelks, a historical archaeologist, who was the first anthropologist hired at Illinois State University and founding member of the Society for Historical Archaeology as well as the Midwest Archaeological Center. The senior students who embody academic excellence and active engagement with anthropology within our program are: Katrina Frank and Alex Kopicki

: Alex Kopicki

: Katrina Frank

ROBERT DIRKS SENIOR THESIS AWARD is given to an anthropology student in each senior thesis class for the most outstanding thesis: Shawn Gillis and Liz Kolze

: Shawn Gillis (with daughter Emma)

: Liz Kolze

EMERITUS PROFESSOR NICK MAROULES TRAVEL AWARD was created to help increase the number of students in the department participating in study abroad opportunities. Two students with such an interest were chosen to study abroad next school year once restrictions on travel are lifted.

Elizabeth Phillips (ANT) hopes to study archaeology in either Italy or Greece

Sierra Rush (SOC) plans study abroad in Africa or Costa Rica

: Beth Phillips

: Sierra Rush

AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION/ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED SOCIOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD has been given annually since 1994 to the student who has most distinguished himself/herself over the course of the master’s degree program. Due to the strength of their accomplishments, two students were chosen: Rebecca Forsythe and Isabella Green

: Rebecca Forsythe

: Isabella Green

DEPARTMENT CHARTER GRADUATE STUDENT EXCELLENCE AWARD has been given annually since 1994 to the graduate student who demonstrates the most academic promise for success in our program: Erik Carlson

: Erik Carlson

SCOTT ELLIOTT ENDOWMENT FOR SOCIOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY was established by Elliott, a 1985 graduate of Illinois State University who minored in sociology. The funds are used to provide support of student travel to professional meetings or for research activities:

Maria Kitchin and Abigail Ma – for their co-authored paper presentation at the American Anthropological Association Meeting in Vancouver Canada on November 20-26, 2019: “The Hunt for Missing Langford Habitation Sites”