Oglethorpe recently launched a new chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, an international sociology honor society that recognizes the highest achieving sociology majors and minors.
Alpha Kappa Delta seeks to promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and other social and intellectual activities that will lead to improvement in the human condition.
Oglethorpe’s Epsilon chapter inducted its first members on March 19:
Kelli Bryant
Emeline Carter
Zoe Geiger
Christina Mitchell
Bess Moore
Dr. Janelle Pham
Will Sherlock
Elle Summers ’20
“The desire to start this chapter came from the students themselves; they are bright, motivated and involved on campus and in their communities,” said faculty advisor Dr. Janelle Pham, assistant professor of sociology. “This new chapter is affirming of their commitment to both rigorous scholarship and public sociology.
“I was interested in Alpha Kappa Delta because I wanted to be a part of an organization that participated in sociological research and inquiry on an international scale,” said senior Christina Mitchell ’21. “Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta allows me to present research, collaborate with students, and connect with a large cohort of academics dedicated to the study of sociology.”
After graduating, Mitchell plans to become involved in community organizing and activism in Atlanta, with focus on environmental justice. “A large part of environmental justice is understanding how environmental issues intersect with economic, social, and racial systems,” she said. “I plan to take sociological concepts outside of the classroom and into the spaces in which they can be applied.”
Fellow inductee Elle Summers ’20 also welcomes the value of her honor society membership.
“Organizations such as these…allow for critical professional development and research and networking opportunities, benefits offered to members even after graduation,” said Summers, a recent sociology graduate pursuing a career in human resources recruitment.
“I feel very strongly that all business and HR professionals should have a working knowledge of sociology to understand how certain business practices and hiring strategies ultimately work to undermine many organizational goals and disenfranchise historically underserved groups in the professional sphere,” she said. “In my career field, I want to work against these practices to better serve all of the candidates I come into contact with.”
The impact of the new Alpha Kappa Delta chapter on Oglethorpe’s campus will only continue to grow, according to Dr. Pham.
“We anticipate an active chapter on campus, and look to our new inductees to act as mentors and leaders within our major, as well as within the campus community.”
