NCSA Past Presidents

2023-2024

Victoria Kurdyla

2022-2023

Tangela Towns

2021-2022

Abigail B. Reiter

2020-2021

Reneè D. Lamphere

2018-2019

Lisa McManus

2017-2018

Stayce Blount

2016-2017
Steve Gunkel

2015-2016
William Smith

2014-2015
Cameron Lippard

2013-2014
Robert Puckett

2012-2013
Ian Taplin

2011-2012
Kimberley Cook

Dr.  Kimberly J. Cook earned her Bachelor of Arts with Distinction (Sociology) from the University of Maine (1987), her Master of Arts (Sociology) from the University of New Hampshire (1990), and her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire (1994). She began her academic career at Mississippi State University in 1994 as an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. 

In 1991, she co-founded Sociologists Against Sexual Harassment (SASH). In 2005, she joined the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, serving as Chair from 2005-2013. Her research interests include Criminology, Restorative Justice, Wrongful Convictions, Victimization, Violence Against Women, Feminist Criminology, and Legacies of Racial Violence. She served on the Editorial Board of Feminist Criminology, the official journal of the Division on Women and Crime in the American Society of Criminology, 2004-2020. In 2009, she began her affiliation with the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice. In 2020, she was a founding member of the journal Wrongful Conviction Law Review and currently serves on the Editorial Board.  In 2021, she became the Director of the UNCW Restorative Justice Collaborative.

During her North Carolina Sociological Association presidency, she focused on advancing public sociology. When asked, “What motivates you in your sociological work?” she replied I’m a first-generation college student from a working-class rural family in Maine. I never was expected to go to college, let alone graduate school. My roots are my inspiration. Connecting with students with similar lived experiences keeps me going.

Selected Contribution to Research:

Cook, K. J. 2022. Shattered Justice: Crime Victims’ Experiences with Wrongful Convictions and Exonerations. Rutgers University Press.  

Cook, K. J. 2022. From battered woman to professor of criminology: a personal reflection. In Survivor Criminology: A Radical Act of Hope (pages 51-67), Kimberly J. Cook, Renee Lamphere, Jason M. Williams, Stacy Mallicoat, and Alissa Ackerman, editors. Rowman and Littlefield. 

Vick, K., K. J. Cook, and M. L. Rogers. 2021. Lethal Leverage: False confessions, false pleas, and wrongful convictions in death-eligible cases. Contemporary Justice Review 24(1), p. 24-42. DOI: 10.1080/10282580.2020.1755845 

Westervelt, S. D., and K. J. Cook. 2018.  Continuing Trauma and Aftermath for Exonerated Death Row Survivors. in: Living on Death Row, American Psychological Association, James Acker, Hans Toch, and Vincent Bonventre (Eds): 301-329. 

(This edited collection is the recipient of the Association of American Publishers 2019 PROSE Award recognizing scholarly and professional excellence in the category of Psychology.) 

Cook, K. J. 2016. Has Criminology Awakened from Its “Androcentric Slumber”? Feminist Criminology  11(4): 334-353. 

Westervelt, S. D. and K. J.  Cook. 2012. Life After Death Row: Exonerees Search for Community and Identity. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 

Cook, Kimberly. 2011 "Presidential Address: Realizing the Promise of Sociology: Going Public and Enriching Community." Sociation Today 9(1). (available online at: http://www.ncsociology.org/sociationtoday/v91/profess.htm)  

Cook, Kimberly J. and Chris Powell.  2006.  Emotionality, Rationality, and Restorative Justice  in Advancing Critical Criminology: Theory and Application.  Walter S. DeKeseredy and Barbara Perry, editors. New York: Lexington Books. 

Cook, Kimberly J. and Chris Powell.  2003. Unfinished Business: Aboriginal Reconciliation and Restorative Justice in Australia in Contemporary Justice Review  6:279-291. 

Cook, Kimberly J. and Chris Powell. 2003. Christianity and Punitive Mentalities: A Qualitative Study at Crime, Law, and Social Change 39: 69-89. 

Cook, Kimberly J.  1998. "A Passion to Punish: Abortion Opponents who Favor the Death Penalty. Justice Quarterly 15(2):329-346. 

Cook, Kimberly J. 1998. Divided Passions: Public Opinions on Abortion and Death Penalty Boston: Northeastern University Press. 

Cook, Kimberly J. and Phoebe M. Stambaugh. 1997. Tuna Memos and Pissing Contests: Doing Gender and Male Dominance on the Internet  in Everyday Sexism in the Third Millennium, Carol Ronai, Barbara Zsembik and Joe Feagin, editors. New York: Routledge Press. p. 63-83. 

Cook, Kimberly J. 1993. "ProDeath Politics: Debunking the 'ProLife' Agenda" in Political Crime in Contemporary America: A Critical Approach. Kenneth D. Tunnell, editor.  New York: Garland Press. p. 49-77.

Biographical details courtesy Kimberly Cook, personal email correspondence, September 26, 2024

2010-2011
Ken Spenner

2009-2010
Cheryl Brown

2008-2009
Ken Land

2007-2008
Steven McNamee

Steven J. McNamee earned his B.A. in Sociology, Rutgers University, Camden, 1973,his  M.A. in Sociology, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, and his 1975 Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, 1980.

He began his academic career in 1978 as an Instructor at the University of Dayton. In 1984 he transitioned to Assistant Professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington. He earned promotion to Associate Professor in 1987, Professor in 1991, and is currently Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina Wilmington. While at UNCW he served as the Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology 1990-1996. Between 2003 and 2008 he served as Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and again, on an Interim basis, between 2013 and 2014.

The focus of Dr. McNamee’s sociological research is Social Stratification, Sociological Theory, Work and Occupations, and Organizations. Before serving as President of North Carolina Sociological Association in 2007, he served on the Executive Council, 1998-2002. During his time as president, his main focus was securing Non-Profit 501C status for NCSA. In addition to professional service, Dr. McNamee began his affiliation with the Kiwanis Club, Wilmington in 2012; served on the Board of Directors between 2014-2016 and served a tenure as President 2021-2022. Prior to his time with the Kiwanis Club, Wilmington, he served on the  Family Services of the Lower Cape Fear (FSLCF) Board of Directors between 1985-1991 and again between 1993-1997. As member of the CFAFS board, he served as vice president, recording secretary, chair of the public relations committee, chair of the family counseling program committee, and member of the long-range planning and personnel committees.

Dr. McNamee received both the North Carolina Sociological Association Contributions to Sociology Award and the University of North Carolina Wilmington Distinguished Faculty Scholarship Award in 2011. In 2001, he was honored with the the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Teaching Award for Excellence. In 2000, he received the University of North Carolina Wilmington Distinguished Teaching Professor Award. He was a  Geisert Dissertation Fellow (University of Illinois Urbana Champaign) and belonged to the Sigma Iota Rho International Studies Honor Society, the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (University of North Carolina Wilmington), and the Athenaeum Honor Society (Rutgers University Camden).

When asked, “What motivates you in your sociological work?” he responded “My main sociological focus in my career has been on economic inequality in the United States and the desire to seek a more equitable and just society. I was a first-generation college graduate at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. Camden had some of the worse urban blight and concentrated urban poverty in the United States and all the attendant social problems that went with it. I was able view Camden as a social laboratory. The motivation for studying sociology came from seeking a systemic explanation for these conditions. Also, I was an undergraduate during the late 1960s and early 1970s during a period of rapid social change, including the zenith of the civil rights movement and the beginnings of women’s and environmental movements. Sociology provided me with a framework to best understand what was happening around me”

Selected Contributions to Research:

McNamee, Stephen J. 2024. The Meritocracy Myth: Who Gets Ahead and Why. 5th Edition. Roman Littlefield Publishers, Inc, Lanham, Maryland.

Miller, Robert K. Jr. and Stephen J. McNamee (eds) 1998 Inheritance and Wealth in America.* New York: Plenum.

McNamee, Stephen J. 2024 “Max Weber” Chapter 4 in Abby Reiter, Miranda Reiter, and Victoria Kurdyla (eds.) An Introduction to Sociological Theory: Concepts and Applications. New York: Kendall Hunt.

McNamee, Stephen J. 2014 “Meritocracy Myth Revisited”* Sociation Today. Vol. 12 No. 2.

McNamee, Stephen J. 2007. “The Social Construction of Life Meaning.”* Sociation Today. Volume 5, Number 2 Fall.

McNamee, Stephen J. and Cecil Willis 1994 "Stratification in Science: A Comparison of Publication Patterns in Four Disciplines." Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion, and Utilization. 15(4) (June):396-416.

·McNamee, Stephen J., Cecil L. Willis, and Ann Rotchford 1990 "Gender Differences in Patterns of Publication in Leading Sociology Journals." American Sociologist. 21:2 (Summer): 99-165.

Willis, Cecil L. and Stephen J. McNamee 1990 "Social Networks of Science and Patterns of Publication in Leading Sociology Journals, 1960-1985,"* Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion, and Utilization. 11:4 (June): 363-381.

McNamee, Stephen J. and Robert K. Miller, Jr. 1989 "Estate Inheritance: A Sociological Lacuna," Sociological Inquiry. 59:1 (February): 7-29.

McNamee, Stephen J. and Reeve Vanneman 1987 "The Class Structure of Job Rewards: A Canonical Analysis." Work and Occupations: An International Sociological Journal. 14:2 (May): 190-215.

McNamee, Stephen J. 1987 "Du Pont-State Relations."* Social Problems. 34:1 (February): 1-17.

McNamee, Stephen J. and Kimberly Swisher* 1985 "Neighborhood Decentralization and Organized Citizen Participation." Sociological Focus. 4 (October): 301-312.

McNamee, Stephen J.1983 "Capital Accumulation and the DuPont Company."* Organization Studies. 4 (July): 201-218.

McNamee, Stephen J. and Reeve Vanneman 1983 "The Perception of Class: Social and Technical Relations of Production." Work and Occupations: An International Sociological Journal. 10 (November): 437-469.

Biographical details courtesy Steve McNamee, personal email correspondence, October 2, 2024

2006-2007
Miles Simpson

2005-2006
Rebecca Bach

2004-2005
Catherine Zimmer

2003-2004
Beth Davison

2002-2003
Rick Dixon

2001-2002
Robert Wortham

2000-2001
Ron Wimberley

1999-2000
George Conklin

Dr. George Conklin earned his degrees from Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania. Upon his retirement from North Carolina Central University, he became a professor emeritus.  Originally a sociologist with an interest in the family and economic development in India, Dr. Conklin also taught criminology and the sociology of deviance as well as urban sociology. 
    Before retirement, George was active in the Durham, North Carolina community, serving on the RDU airport authority, the planning commission, and as Chair of the Board of Adjustment.
   He served five years as the secretary/treasurer of the Southern Sociological Society and the editor of the North Carolina Sociological Association's online journal, Sociation Today. He also served as the Director of Region 8 on the IATC Board and maintained the online version of The Torch.

Conklin, George H. 2012. “Terrorism in the United States: A Case Study of Eric Rudolph, a Homegrown Terrorist.” Torch Magazine 89(2). Retrieved October 29, 2024 (http://www.ncsociology.org/torchmagazine/v892/conklin.html)

1998-1999
Suzanne Trask

As a professor at Salem College, Dr. Trask’s research agenda focused on social theory, social stratification, complex organizations and urban sociology.

Salem College. 1995. Sights and Insights. Accessed October 29, 2024. (https://archive.org/details/sightsinsights1995sale/page/90/mode/2up?q=trask)

1997-1998
Mike Wise

Dr. George Michael "Mike" Wise earned an A.B. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1962). He earned his M.S. in Rural Sociology and Political Science (1970) and his Ph.D. in Sociology (1976) with a minor in Political Science and Statistics from North Carolina State University.

Dr. Wise served as faculty at Appalachian State University in the Department of Sociology and Social Work beginning in 1972. The focus of his research was Research Methods; Deviant Behavior; and Appalachian Studies. He contributed significantly to the department during his tenure, including serving as Acting Chair from 1995 to 1996. His professional service includes leadership roles in the North Carolina Sociological Association, where he was President from 1997 to 1998, and the National Association of State Sociological Associations, where he served as President from 1998 to 2000.

Beyond his academic leadership, Dr. Wise has been actively involved in his community, serving multiple terms as President of the Watauga County Arts Council and engaging in numerous local development initiatives. His commitment to service is also evident in his numerous awards, including the prestigious Board of Governors Outstanding Teacher Award in 2007.

Selected Contributions to Research:

Wise, Michael. 2006. “Max Weber Visits America.” Sociation Today 4, 2 (9)

Harris, Catherine T. and Michael Wise. 2004. "A Quick Look at Grassroots Sociology: An Updating of the Survey of the State of the State Sociological Associations." Footnotes 32(2) February.

Wise, Michael and Catherine Harris. 2003. "The North Carolina Sociological Association: A National Model for Sociology?" Sociation Today 1(1) Spring.

Wise, Michael and Allie Funk. 2002. Deviance: Sociological Explanations. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company

Appalachian State University. 1985. The Rhodondendron Accessed October 16, 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/27424?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=1918%2C821%2C2654%2C1539&cv=388)

1996-1997
Robert Moxley

Selected Contributions to Research

Thompson, Gretchen, Karl A. Jicha, R.V. Rikard and Robert Moxley. 2013. "Matrixed Inequality, Rurality, and Access to Substance Abuse Treatment: A Community Structure Analysis of North Carolina Communities." In Studies in Urbanormativity: Rural Community in Urban Society, December.

Moxley, Robert L., and Charles Proctor. 2010. "Community Solidarity, Political Competitiveness, and Social Rigidity: Relationships With Social and Health Services." Rural Sociology

Moxley, Robert L., Karl A. Jicha, and Gretchen Thompson. 2011 “Testing the Importance of Family Solidarity, Community Structure, Information Access, and Social Capital in Predicting Nutrition Health Knowledge and Food Choices in the Philippines” Ecology of Food and Nutrition.

Moxley, Robert L., and Ronald C. Wimberley. 2009. "Dimensions of Nutrition Knowledge Among Preadolescent Girls." Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal

1995-1996
Cindy Farris

Dr. M. Cynthia Farris is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where she majored in sociology. She received her master's of education in guidance and counseling and her Ph.D. in family relations from UNCG.

Dr. Farris began her association with Salem College in 1983 when she was appointed as an assistant professor of sociology. In 1987, she was the sophomore class adviser, yearbook adviser, and founding member of Salem College’s OKD Chapter. From 1984 to 1988, she was an academic adviser in the Adult Degree Program. From 1988-1991, she was associate dean of Academic Affairs, and she served as Dean of Students from 1991-1995, when she was named Associate Dean of the college. In 1998, she received the Outstanding Teaching Award at Salem College. In that same year, she resigned from her position as associate dean of Salem College in Winston-Salem to become executive assistant to Chancellor Patricia A. Sullivan at UNCG.

During her career, she focused her research on young adults in the Appalachian Mountain region, work and family, and teaching in a mixed-age classroom.

She served on the board of commissioners as the Forsyth County representative of the Region 1 Council on Aging and on the board of directors of the Kernersville Shepherd's Center.

Selected Contributions to Research:

Farris, Cynthia and Sidney Kelly. 1998. "The Salem Signature: Self-Discovery and Community Service." Pp. 45-62 in To Serve and Learn: The Spirit of Community in Liberal Education, edited by Joseph L. DeVitis, Robert W. Johns, and Douglas J. Simpson. New York: Peter Lang

Greensboro News and Record. 2018. "Chancellor's Assistant to Be Honored." Greensboro News and Record, June 6. Retrieved October 15, 2024 (https://greensboro.com/chancellors-assistant/article_3e12eac7-0918-5e40-a616-275c5e827fd0.html)

Salem College. 1987. “Sights and Insights.” Accessed October 15, 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/29848?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=635%2C298%2C1843%2C1069&cv=39)

1994-1995
Catherine Harris

In 1963, Catherine Harris obtained her A.B. from Lenoir Rhyne College (cum laude), followed by her MA from Duke University in 1968. This record is for her second term as NCSA President. Her first term was 1984-1985.

After receiving her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in 1976, she was a member of the Salem College faculty. There, she served as Chair of the Departments of Sociology and Economics 1977-1980. She joined the Wake Forest faculty in 1980. In 1984 she attained the status of Associate Professor and in 1989 became a Professor. She also held appointments at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine (1994-2009, associate in medical education) and at the Wake Forest School of Law (2002-Present, research associate).

Gender roles and the sociology of music provide the focal point of Dr. Harris’ research. In the latter area, she worked with Clemens Sandresky, former Dean of the Salem College School of Music, to study musical syntax as data. In addition, she was involved in a study of medical students, especially looking at the impact of the medical school experience and environment on medical student attitudes.

Much of Dr. Harris’s work has been interdisciplinary and policy-oriented.  Beginning in 1995, she worked with co-authors affilliated with the Wake Forest School of Law and Duke University School of Law. This research, focused on understanding the impact of mediation in medical malpractice cases, was initially supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her work in this area resulted in many peer-reviewed articles, including research systematically looking at the different dimensions of the litigation process, the impact of the insurer’s evaluation of liability, the impact of the variable strategic advantages of both defendants and plaintiffs, and perspectives of the physician/defendants, almost 2/3 of whom expressed a need for vindication as part of the case outcome.

Most recently, Dr. Harris worked with Ralph Peeples, of the Wake Forest School of Law, to analyze the data related to child custody case outcomes. 

Selected Contributions to Research:

Part I, Analysis; "Poverty and Social Disorganization in Columbus, Georgia: Analysis and Plan" Columbus-Muscogee County Planning Commission, Columbus, Georgia (February, 1969).

"Musical Syntax as Data." (with Clemens Sandresky) Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior (1983) 13:165-179.

"Modern Women and the Dynamics of Social Psychological Ambivalence." (with John Earle). Psychology of Women Quarterly (March, 1985) 65-80.

"Music and Vertical Classification." (with Clemens Sandresky). International Journal of the Sociology of Language (Fall, 1985) 56: 5-27.

"Love and Death in Classical Music: Methodological Problems in Analyzing Human Meanings in Music." (with Clemens Sandresky). Symbolic Interaction (Fall, 1985): 291-310

"Gender and Work Values: Survey Findings from a Working Class Sample." (with John Earle) Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, (Fall, 1986) 15:487-494.

"Art and Androgyny: A Study of Gender Identity in Visual Artists." (With Margaret Supplee Smith and Philip J. Perricone). Empirical Studies of the Arts. (1988) 6:67-88.

"Role Taking and Musical Expression of Social Relations." (With Clemens Sandresky) Studies in Symbolic Interaction (1989) 10:531-546.

"College Students and Blue-Collar Workers: A Comparative Analysis of Sex-Role Attitudes." (With John R. Earle) Sociological Spectrum (Winter, 1989) 9:455-466.

"Changes in Musical Languages in Unsettled Culture." (with Clemens Sandresky) International Journal of Contemporary Sociology (1990) 27:155-163.

"Artists and Scientists: An Analysis of Marital Status and Stability." (with John R. Earle, Willie Pearson, Jr., Margaret S. Smith and Philip J. Perricone) Empirical Studies of the Arts (1991) 9:165-173.

"Women, Marital Status and Symptoms of Depression in a Midlife National Sample." (with John Earle, Mark Smith and Charles Longino, Jr.) Journal of Women and Aging (1997) 10:41-57.

“Empirical Perspectives on Mediation and Malpractice” (with Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University Law School and Ralph A. Peeples, Wake Forest University Law School) Law and Contemporary Problems (1998) 60:107-152.

“Settlement Has Many Faces: Physicians, Attorneys and Medical Malpractice” (with Ralph Peeples, Wake Forest University Law School, and Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University Law School). Journal of Health and Social Behavior (2000) 41: 333-346.

“Learning to Crawl: The Use of Voluntary Caps on Damages in Medical Malpractice Litigation” (With Ralph Peeples, Wake Forest School of Law). Catholic University Law Review (2005) 54:703-744.

“Who are Those Guys? An Empirical Examination of Medical Malpractice Plaintiffs’ Attorneys” (With Ralph Peeples, Ralph Peeples, Wake forest School of Law and Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University School of Law). Southern Methodist University Law Review (2005) 58: 225-250).

“Following the Script: An Empirical Analysis of Court-Ordered Mediation of Medical Malpractice Cases (with Ralph Peeples and Thomas B. Metzloff) Journal of Dispute Resolution (2007) 2007: 101-118.

“It’s the Conflict Stupid: An Empirical Study of the Factors that Inhibit Medication in High Conflict Custody Cases” (with Ralph Peeples and Suzanne Reynolds, Wake Forest School of Law) Wake Forest Law Review (2008: 43: 505-531).

Harris, Catherine T. n.d. "Catherine T. Harris." Wake Forest University Department of Sociology. Retrieved September 27, 2024 (https://sociology.wfu.edu/faculty/catherine-t-harris/#20230905232654).

1993-1994
Norman Layne, Jr.

Dr. Norman R. Layne was enrolled at the University of Georgia when he was drafted into the US Army. After his honorable discharge, he completed his bachelor’s degree, then earned his MA and PhD in Sociology.

Dr. Layne taught sociology at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro for two years. He began teaching sociology at UNC Pembroke in 1977 and was on the faculty at the time of his death in 2012.

During his time as a faculty member Dr. Layne also worked as a program consultant for the past 18 years at various programs, including the WISH and Cascade programs and the Day by Day Treatment Center.

University of North Carolina at Pembroke. 1983. The Indianhead. Accessed October 15, 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/29589?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=2670%2C1254%2C2206%2C742&cv=154)

1992-1993
Mike Pearson

Dr. Mike Pearson earned his Doctorate from Florida State University in 1973 and taught Sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute from 1973 to 1977. From 1977 to 2002, he taught at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was past faculty president and co-founder and active teacher in the honors program. The focus of his research was improving race relations, expanding social justice, and establishing a more peaceful world.

He served his country in the US Army during the Vietnam War.

Legacy.com. 2023. "Michael Pearson Obituary." Retrieved October 15, 2024 (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/charlotte/name/michael-pearson-obituary?id=29236021).

University of North Carolina at Charlotte. n.d. "Scholarships." Department of Sociology. Accessed October 15, 2024 (https://sociology.charlotte.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/scholarships/).

1991-1992
Larry Keeter

Dr. Larry Keeter was a graduate of Berea College with a major in philosophy and psychology. He earned his Ph.D from Boston University. during his time as a student, he was a National Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Columbia University, a Hopkins Share Fellow at Harvard University, where he served as a Baptist chaplain, and a Rockefeller Scholar at Boston University. 

He worked as a professor of sociology at Appalachian State University, Campbell University, and at Emerson College in Massachusetts, and the University of Ireland in Dublin (as a faculty exchange professor).  He wrote popular and scholarly articles on a variety of issues in sociology, minority relations, and religion, and produced DVD/videos on Max Weber, which were distributed by the American Sociological Association.  In addition to his role as NCSA president, Dr. Keeter served in various offices and committees of the Southern Sociological Association, and the Popular Culture Association, where he was Chair of the Elvis section. 

As a graduate student, Dr. Keeter participated in the March on Washington, served as a counselor in the Billy Graham Evangelism Campaign at Harvard University, participated in the Student Vigil at the Lincoln Memorial (on his honeymoon!) in support of the Civil Rights Act; and as a pastor, in the Poor Peoples’ Campaign in Washington, and in the School of Evangelism in the Billy Graham Crusade at Madison Square Gardens. 

As a faculty member, Dr. Keeter’s university and community service included six years on the Faculty Senate, three years as the Chair; nine years as a founding delegate to the University of North Carolina Faculty Assembly; and eight year in the Boone Town Government, a four-year term on Town Council and then two terms as the first ASU Professor elected Mayor of Boone, retiring undefeated.  As a Town Council Member and as Mayor, he was instrumental in establishing the Town Manager system and the Office of Town Planner, the zoning and sign ordinances, the Greenway Trail, the Comprehensive Plan, the AppleCart, the Jones House, annexation, ABC control, the “Mayor’s Report” on local radio and TV, and the Town Council meeting on Cable vision.  He declined gratefully the opportunity to be a Watauga County Commissioner. 

 Inducted into the WataugaDems Hall of Fame, this high honor stated: “Larry’s two terms as Mayor was known as a progressive period for the Town of Boone.: In the mid – 1990s, he spearheaded the effort to place a memorial to the German professor Max Weber (known as one of the ‘Fathers of Sociology’) at the Mount Airy house where Weber visited his relatives in 1904.”

 Dr. Keeter received summer faculty fellowships with NASA in Langley, Virginia; the National Endowment for the Arts at University of Berkeley, California; and the USIA Program in Poland.  Keeter was the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the University Trustee Teaching Award, the College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Award, the Alumni Teaching Award, and the Student Government Association Teaching Award, of which he was most proud. 

“Sociology/Anthropology Faculty, Larry Keeter, 1978,” Appalachian State University Libraries Digital Collections, accessed September 23, 2024, https://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/13412.

1990-1991
Ken Wilson

Dr. Ken Wilson (1947-2019) earned his PhD from Purdue University.

Dr. Wilson began his faculty career at Eastern Carolina University in 1974. He was a professor of sociology and during his 44-year career there, served as co-director of the sociology department’s community research lab. He chaired the ECU Faculty from 1985-1987. He also served as faculty advisor for Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society, for 40 years.

While at ECU, Dr. Wilson’s research focus included applied sociology, emergency responses during natural disasters, and health care and technology access disparities. He received approximately $1 million in funds to address these social issues through applied sociology, and he published more than 32 articles and a half-dozen book chapters within his field of research.

He is the winner of the 2013 North Carolina Sociological Association’s Award for Contributions to Sociology

Dr. Wilson served as ECU’s representative to the UNC Faculty Assembly (1987-1993) and was a past president of the UNC Faculty Assembly (1991-1993). He was the founding director of the Sociology Community Survey Lab in ECU’s Department of Sociology.

His additional affiliations included the American Sociology Association, American Association of Public Opinion Research, American Statistical Association, Southern Sociological Society, Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, and Alpha Kappa Delta.

ECU News Services. 2013. “Sociological Association Honors Long-Time ECU Professor.” News Services. Retrieved October 9, 2024 (https://news.ecu.edu/2013/03/04/sociological-association-honors-long-time-ecu-professor/).

ECU News Services. 2020. “2019 ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS.” ECU News Services. Retrieved October 9, 2024 (https://news.ecu.edu/2019/10/18/homecoming-2019/).

1989-1990
William Markham

Dr. William Markham earned his PhD from University of Texas at Austin (1980).

He served as Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Director of the University's interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Program. In 2010-2011 he was Chancellor's Resident Fellow in UNCG's Lloyd International Honors College. He retired in 2015

He is author of several books and numerous journal articles on environmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations and civil society, the sociology of organizations, and social inequalities, and coedited a book on nature protection in Western nations.

He is the recipient of three Fulbright awards for research in Germany and Cameroon and has been a Visiting Scholar at Wellesley College, the Hogg Foundation at the University of Texas at Austin, Humboldt University in Berlin, the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, the Archive and Museum for Nature Protection in Germany, Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and the University of Buea in Cameroon.

Anon. 2015. “Contributor Biographical Information for Library of Congress Control Number 2015013152.” Contributor Biographical Information for Saving the Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa : Organizational Dynamics and Effectiveness of NGOs in Cameroon / William T. Markham and Lotsmart N. Fonjong. Retrieved October 9, 2024 (https://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy1509/2015013152-b.html).

UNC-Greensboro. n.d. “Sociology, Criminology, and Justice Studies Faculty & Staff.” William T. Markham. Retrieved October 9, 2024 (https://soc.uncg.edu/people/william-markham/).

1988-1989
Robert Davis

Found on Web; Pending Verification

Dr. Robert “Bob” Davis earned his PhD from Washington State and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Institute for Research on Poverty and the Center for Demography and Ecology is a professor of sociology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

His areas of specialty include suicide, homicide, poverty, and education-related issues.

He is currently the Interim Chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Work. Past Director of A&T’s Institutional Assessment Office and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and is past president of the North Carolina Sociological Association, The Association of Black Sociologists and Vice President of the Southern Sociological Society. Davis is Chair of the board of East Market Street Development Corporation and past Chairperson of the Guilford County Planning Board. Davis is actively involved in the Greensboro community as well as professional Sociological Associations.

Davis, Robert. 2024. “Robert Davis, Author At.” Welcome to Blackpast. Retrieved October 9, 2024 (https://www.blackpast.org/author/davisrobert/).

North Carolina Agricutlural and Technical State University. 2005. Ayantee. Accessed October 9, 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/28925?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=2019%2C995%2C1279%2C742&cv=40)

1987-1988
Ben Judkins

Dr. Ben Judkins specializes in race and ethnicity and program assessment. He is a recipient of the North Carolina Sociological Association’s Distinguished Contribution to Sociology Award.

Selected Contributions to Research:

Judkins, Bennett M. and Mundy, Karen (2016) "The Transformation of High-Risk Youth: An Assessment of a Faith-based Program in South Africa," Interdisciplinary Journal of Best Practices in Global Development: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 4.

Lee University News. 2016. “Faculty Published in Global Development Journal.” Accessed October 8, 2024 (https://www.leeuniversity.edu/news/faculty-published-in-global-development-journal/)

1986-1987
Paul Lindsay

Dr. Paul Lindsay began graduate school at UNC Chapel Hill in the Fall of 1973 after serving thirteen years in the campus ministry.  

After finishing his doctorate, he accepted a position in the Sociology Department at UNC-Greensboro, (1978-1991). UNCG awarded him the title of professor emeritus upon his retirement.

His research interests included analysis of the job satisfaction of preschool teachers and childcare workers; the effects of high school size on student participation and satisfaction; and the consequences of higher education for students.  In 1987-88, Dr. Lindsay returned to UNC-Chapel Hill as a visiting scholar at the Institute of Research in Social Science, studying the effects of higher education. In 1992, along with co-authors Bill Knox and Mary Kolb, he published Does College Make a Difference? Long-term Changes in Activities and Attitudes.  

Later in his career, his research focused on conflict resolution in K-12 public schools.  During this time he took community mediation training and volunteered as a mediator.

While at UNC-Greensboro, he created a course on teaching sociology for graduate students. He also taught sociology of education for undergraduates and graduates, and introductory data analysis for graduate students.

Dr. Lindsay served for several years on an ASA task force on teaching sociology in high schools.  He also served on two boards: the Charles Jones Fellowship for Human Rights and the Chrysalis Foundation for Mental Health.

Lindsay, Paul. 2015. “Paul Lindsay.” UNC-Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology. Retrieved October 8, 2024 (https://sociology.unc.edu/paul-lindsay/).

UNCG Sociology. 2004. “Collective Memory” Accessed October 8, 2024 (https://soc.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2004Collective_Memory.pdf)

1985-1986
George Rent

1984-1985
Catherine Harris

In 1963, Catherine Harris obtained her A.B. from Lenoir Rhyne College (cum laude), followed by her MA from Duke University in 1968. Dr. Harris served two terms as NCSA President. Her second term was 1994-1995.

After receiving her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in 1976, she was a member of the Salem College faculty. There, she served as Chair of the Departments of Sociology and Economics 1977-1980. She joined the Wake Forest faculty in 1980. In 1984 she attained the status of Associate Professor and in 1989 became a Professor. She also held appointments at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine (1994-2009, associate in medical education) and at the Wake Forest School of Law (2002-Present, research associate).

Gender roles and the sociology of music provide the focal point of Dr. Harris’ research. In the latter area, she worked with Clemens Sandresky, former Dean of the Salem College School of Music, to study musical syntax as data. In addition, she was involved in a study of medical students, especially looking at the impact of the medical school experience and environment on medical student attitudes.

Much of Dr. Harris’s work has been interdisciplinary and policy-oriented.  Beginning in 1995, she worked with co-authors affilliated with the Wake Forest School of Law and Duke University School of Law. This research, focused on understanding the impact of mediation in medical malpractice cases, was initially supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her work in this area resulted in many peer-reviewed articles, including research systematically looking at the different dimensions of the litigation process, the impact of the insurer’s evaluation of liability, the impact of the variable strategic advantages of both defendants and plaintiffs, and perspectives of the physician/defendants, almost 2/3 of whom expressed a need for vindication as part of the case outcome.

Most recently, Dr. Harris worked with Ralph Peeples, of the Wake Forest School of Law, to analyze the data related to child custody case outcomes. 

Selected Contributions to Research:

Part I, Analysis; "Poverty and Social Disorganization in Columbus, Georgia: Analysis and Plan" Columbus-Muscogee County Planning Commission, Columbus, Georgia (February, 1969).

"Musical Syntax as Data." (with Clemens Sandresky) Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior (1983) 13:165-179.

"Modern Women and the Dynamics of Social Psychological Ambivalence." (with John Earle). Psychology of Women Quarterly (March, 1985) 65-80.

"Music and Vertical Classification." (with Clemens Sandresky). International Journal of the Sociology of Language (Fall, 1985) 56: 5-27.

"Love and Death in Classical Music: Methodological Problems in Analyzing Human Meanings in Music." (with Clemens Sandresky). Symbolic Interaction (Fall, 1985): 291-310

"Gender and Work Values: Survey Findings from a Working Class Sample." (with John Earle) Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, (Fall, 1986) 15:487-494.

"Art and Androgyny: A Study of Gender Identity in Visual Artists." (With Margaret Supplee Smith and Philip J. Perricone). Empirical Studies of the Arts. (1988) 6:67-88.

"Role Taking and Musical Expression of Social Relations." (With Clemens Sandresky) Studies in Symbolic Interaction (1989) 10:531-546.

"College Students and Blue-Collar Workers: A Comparative Analysis of Sex-Role Attitudes." (With John R. Earle) Sociological Spectrum (Winter, 1989) 9:455-466.

"Changes in Musical Languages in Unsettled Culture." (with Clemens Sandresky) International Journal of Contemporary Sociology (1990) 27:155-163.

"Artists and Scientists: An Analysis of Marital Status and Stability." (with John R. Earle, Willie Pearson, Jr., Margaret S. Smith and Philip J. Perricone) Empirical Studies of the Arts (1991) 9:165-173.

"Women, Marital Status and Symptoms of Depression in a Midlife National Sample." (with John Earle, Mark Smith and Charles Longino, Jr.) Journal of Women and Aging (1997) 10:41-57.

“Empirical Perspectives on Mediation and Malpractice” (with Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University Law School and Ralph A. Peeples, Wake Forest University Law School) Law and Contemporary Problems (1998) 60:107-152.

“Settlement Has Many Faces: Physicians, Attorneys and Medical Malpractice” (with Ralph Peeples, Wake Forest University Law School, and Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University Law School). Journal of Health and Social Behavior (2000) 41: 333-346.

“Learning to Crawl: The Use of Voluntary Caps on Damages in Medical Malpractice Litigation” (With Ralph Peeples, Wake Forest School of Law). Catholic University Law Review (2005) 54:703-744.

“Who are Those Guys? An Empirical Examination of Medical Malpractice Plaintiffs’ Attorneys” (With Ralph Peeples, Ralph Peeples, Wake forest School of Law and Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University School of Law). Southern Methodist University Law Review (2005) 58: 225-250).

“Following the Script: An Empirical Analysis of Court-Ordered Mediation of Medical Malpractice Cases (with Ralph Peeples and Thomas B. Metzloff) Journal of Dispute Resolution (2007) 2007: 101-118.

“It’s the Conflict Stupid: An Empirical Study of the Factors that Inhibit Medication in High Conflict Custody Cases” (with Ralph Peeples and Suzanne Reynolds, Wake Forest School of Law) Wake Forest Law Review (2008: 43: 505-531).

Harris, Catherine T. n.d. "Catherine T. Harris." Wake Forest University Department of Sociology. Retrieved September 27, 2024 (https://sociology.wfu.edu/faculty/catherine-t-harris/#20230905232654).

1983-1984
John Maiolo

John Maiolo was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on June 19, 1938 to Joseph R. and Filomena C. Maiolo, the third of four sons. He received his BA degree from Lycoming College in his hometown, graduating in 1960. He was a member of Kappa Delta Rho fraternity, president of the Student Union, sports announcer for the football team, and a member of the inaugural soccer team. He went on to do his graduate work at the Pennsylvania State University, graduating with his PhD in 1965.

He began his career as a university professor at Notre Dame. In 1971 he left his position at Notre Dame to direct a large government-funded research project through Indiana University. When the project was completed in 1975, he was hired to chair the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at East Carolina University. Maiolo also served as a consultant for private companies and governmental regulatory agencies, including the National Academy of Sciences, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.

Dr. Maiolo supervised the development of ECU’s Department of Economics and he was instrumental in developing the ECU’s teaching, research, and service programs that focused on coastal-zone issues and fisheries management. Retiring after a 25-year career there, he received the distinction of Professor Emeritus in 2000.

Dr. Maiolo always loved the coast and focused his academic work on life in coastal communities and the fisherman who lived and worked there, resulting in many research papers and several books, among them A Nickel a Bucket: Struggle and Survival in North Carolina's Shrimp Industry, which was featured at an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute.

Among other honors, John received was being named Outstanding Alumnus of Lycoming College, and Outstanding Brother of the national Kappa Delta Rho fraternity.

After receiving his Ph.D. in sociology from Penn State in 1965, author John Maiolo taught and conducted social-policy research at Notre Dame and Indiana Universities. In 1975, he became chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department at East Carolina University (ECU) and later supervised the development of ECU’s Department of Economics. Instrumental in developing ECU’s teaching, research, and service programs that focus on coastal-zone issues and fisheries management. ECU awarded him the title of professor emeritus upon his retirement in 2000.

The author of several books, including one on the impacts of Hurricane Floyd and numerous articles on this and other topics, Maiolo has also served as a consultant for private companies and governmental regulatory agencies, including the National Academy of Sciences, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. His research on the shrimp fishery was first undertaken in 1978 and has continued since then.

Chapel Hill Press. N.d. "Hard Times and a Nickel a Bucket: Struggle and Survival in North Carolina's Shrimp Industry." Chapel Hill Press. Retrieved September 27, 2024 (http://www.chapelhillpress.com/product/hard-times-and-a-nickel-a-bucket-struggle-and-survival-in-north-carolinas-shrimp-industry/).

Maiolo, John. 2024. "John Maiolo Obituary." Legacy.com. Retrieved September 27, 2024 (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/charlotte/name/john-maiolo-obituary?id=56176947).

East Carolina University. 1976. The Buccaneer. Identifier: buccaneer1976east. Accessed September 27, 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/27973?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=3275%2C2378%2C514%2C298&cv=394)

1982-1983
Barbara Goodnight

Dr. Barbara Ann Goodnight was born in Pampa, Texas in 1937. She was educated at Texas Woman's University and Louisiana State University. In 1967, she was hired as a professor of sociology at UNC Charlotte, rising to become chair of the department of Sociology and Anthropology in 1972. In 1980, she was promoted to interim and then permanent Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, a role which she held until 1997. As Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr. Goodnight was responsible for overseeing activities related to academic personnel, planning, and budget.

Dr. Goodnight served two terms as the NCSA president; from 1978-1979 and again 1982-1983.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte. N.d. "Academic Affairs Associate Senior Vice Chancellor (Barbara Goodnight) Records, 1980-1997." Collection Identifier: UA0018. University Archives, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Charlotte. Accessed September 26. 2024 (https://findingaids.charlotte.edu/repositories/6/resources/57 )

University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 1971. “Image: Dr. Barbara Goodnight” Rogues ‘N Rascals. Collection Identifier: roguesnrascals1971univ. University Archives, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Charlotte. Accessed September 26. 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/28985?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=1914%2C-283%2C3821%2C2217&cv=56)

1981-1982
John Earle

Dr. John Earle earned his B.A. from Wake Forest College, and his M.A. and Ph.D from University of North Carolina. He began working at Wake Forest in 1963, was promoted to Association Professor in 1968, and achieved the status of Professor in 1976. He was chair of the department of Sociology and Anthropology between 1970-1978. IN 1976, he co-authored Spindles and Spires: A Re-Study of Religion and Social Change in Gastonia.

Selected Additional Research Contributions:

2007

John Earle, Philip Perricone, Kenneth Davidson, Nelwyn Moore, Catherine Harris, and Shelia R. Cotten. “Premarital Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors at a Religiously Affiliated University: Two Decades of Convergence and Divergence.” Sexuality and Culture, 11: 39-61.

1994

Earle, John R., Harris, Catherine T., Perricone, Philip J., and Shelia R. Cotten. “Premarital Sexual Activity at a Small University: Convergence and Divergence,” presented at the Southern Sociological Society’s annual meetings, April, Raleigh, North Carolina.

1993
Earle, John R., Harris, Catherine T., Perricone, Philip J., and Shelia R. Cotten. “Correlates of Premarital Sexual Activity at a Small University: Two-Decades of Survey Data,” presented at the Southern Sociological Society’s annual meetings, April, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Wake Forest University. 1983. “John Earle.” The Howler. Accessed September 6, 2024. (https://prod.wp.cdn.aws.wfu.edu/sites/251/2019/07/wf_history_v5.pdf)

1980-1981
David Pratto

David was born on Nov. 2, 1938, in Aguilar, Colorado and served as a radio specialist in the U.S. Navy 1956-59. He attended Diablo Valley College and the University of Colorado where he earned a B.A. (1963) and Ph.D. (1972) in Sociology.

He became a Professor of Sociology, was twice Head of the Sociology Department, and chaired the UNCG Faculty Senate. In 2000, he was awarded the Bullard Award for Excellence in Service to UNC-G to tumultuous acclaim.

The North Carolina Sociological Association awarded Dr. Pratto, a founding member, its Distinguished Contributions to Sociology Award. Dr. Pratto was the founding Editor of the NCSA Newsletter of the NCSA, which he named Sociation as a tribute to Georg Simmel. He took particular pride in his service with the ASA as a member and Co-Chair of the Committee on the Freedom of Research and Teaching. He was also active in the Southern Sociological Society and other sociological organizations. He was a charter member and co-founder of the North Carolina Association for Research in Education, of which he served as president.

He wrote numerous scholarly works addressing many issues including family studies, adolescence, alcoholism, professional adaptations of two-clergy marriages, Roman Catholic priests, "latch-key" children, medical school curricula and teaching methods, the court system, water resources in Greensboro, and N.C. competency testing. He was the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship to study Italian society.

David and his wife Marlene established scholarship funds at UNCG, the University of Colorado, and Trinidad (Colorado) State College. David was a board member and advisor to many community organizations, including the Family Life Council, Greensboro Youth Council and took the initiative to become the first male to join the League of Women Voters in Greensboro.

He was an active member of the University Catholic Community and St. Pius X Church. As an advocate for the marginalized members of society, he could be counted on to speak out on social and community issues and to actively seek change. He especially supported the role of faith in community advocacy of social justice in the U.S. and developing countries; he strongly advocated the use of micro-lending as a self help strategy for the very poor in developing countries

North Carolina Sociological Association Archival Image. 2002. “David Pratto.”

Knox, Bill. 2002. “Remarks in Remembrance” North Carolina Sociological Association.

1979-1980
M. Richard Cramer

M. Richard Cramer obtained his BA in Sociology from the University of Michigan. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University in 1962

Dr. Cramer served as faculty at the University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill from 1961 to the early 2000s. He began his employment at UNC: CH as a Research Associate, served as Department Chair from 1968 to 1969, and was recognized as an Emeritus Professor upon his retirement.

As faculty, he specialized teaching undergraduate classes on race and intergroup relations, research methods, sociology of religion, and conflict and bargaining. 

During his time at UNC: CH, he filled a variety of roles. He was the head of Undergraduate Studies and the Department's Honors Program for many years. Dr. Cramer also worked as an academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences for many years and served as the Associate Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences in the 1980s.

Dr. Cramer was a founding member of the North Carolina Sociological Association in the late '60s.  He was motivated to go into the field of sociology by a desire to contribute knowledge that would combat intergroup prejudice and discrimination. Ultimately, Dr. Cramer reports that his greatest satisfaction was in working with and advising students, both those studying sociology and those in other disciplines in Arts and Sciences.

Biographical details courtesy M. Richard Cramer, personal email correspondence, September 13, 2024

1977-1979
Barbara Goodnight

Dr. Barbara Ann Goodnight was born in Pampa, Texas in 1937. She was educated at Texas Woman's University and Louisiana State University. In 1967, she was hired as a professor of sociology at UNC Charlotte, rising to become chair of the department of Sociology and Anthropology in 1972. In 1980, she was promoted to interim and then permanent Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, a role which she held until 1997. As Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr. Goodnight was responsible for overseeing activities related to academic personnel, planning, and budget.

Dr. Goodnight served two terms as the NCSA president; from 1978-1979 and again 1982-1983.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte. N.d. "Academic Affairs Associate Senior Vice Chancellor (Barbara Goodnight) Records, 1980-1997." Collection Identifier: UA0018. University Archives, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Charlotte. Accessed September 26. 2024 (https://findingaids.charlotte.edu/repositories/6/resources/57 )

University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 1971. “Image: Dr. Barbara Goodnight” Rogues ‘N Rascals. Collection Identifier: roguesnrascals1971univ. University Archives, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Charlotte. Accessed September 26. 2024 (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/28985?ln=en&v=uv#?xywh=1914%2C-283%2C3821%2C2217&cv=56)

1976-1977
David Hawk

David B. Hawk earned his Ph.D. from Duke University.

Richardson, Ellen, ed. 1970. “David Hawk".” In 1970 Lamp and Shield, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, N. C. Accessed September 25, 2024 (Vol.9https://ia800906.us.archive.org/6/items/lampshield1970stan/lampshield1970stan.pdf.)

1975-1976
Leslie Syron

Born on February 8, 1921 in Augusta County, Virginia, near Staunton, she was the only child of Sidney and Archie Syron (Siron). Dr. Syron attended Mary Baldwin College where she received her B.A. degree. She then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned both her master's degree and PhD in sociology. After a brief teaching stint at UNC-Greensboro, Dr. Syron spent almost her entire career at Meredith College where she taught in the Sociology Department. Her career spanned from the summer of 1943 until her full retirement in 1991. For many years she was Head of the Sociology Department, which was renamed the Department of Sociology and Social Work after she helped to obtain accreditation by The Council of Social Work Education. At the time Meredith was the only private school in North Carolina with this distinction.

Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Syron was involved in many professional, community and church activities. Included were the American Association of University Women, the International Federation of University Women, the North Carolina and Southern Sociological Associations, and the State Council for Social Legislation. A life-long Presbyterian, she was a founding member of St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Raleigh over fifty years ago.

In recognition of her accomplishments, her alma mater, Mary Baldwin College, presented her with the Emily Smith Medallion, an alumnae award which recognizes outstanding service to the community, college, and church. In 1970 she was honored as the Wake County Woman of the Year. In 1990 she was honored by the YWCA by induction into the Academy of Women with an award in the field of education

NA. 2015. "Remembering How to Live Life Well." AAUW North Carolina. Accessed September 25, 2024 (https://www.aauwnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TarHeelNews-Fall2015.pdf.)

The News & Observer. 2015. "Dr. Leslie W. Syron" The News & Observer. Accessed September 25, 2024 (https://www.newsobserver.com/news/article23620615.html#storylink=cpy.)

1974-1975
Selz C. Mayo

Selz Cabot Mayo was born in Pamlico County, North Carolina on September 20, 1915. IN 1935, he received a B.S. in Sociology from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College). Mayo went on to earn an M.S. degree in Rural Sociology from North Carolina State College in 1938 and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina in 1942.

Mayo joined the faculty of North Carolina State in 1939 as an instructor, and remained with the University for 42 years, until 1981. During that time, Mayo was a professor in the Department of Rural Sociology, and became the head of the department in 1960. In 1963, he was named head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology as well, and in 1965 the Department of Rural Sociology was absorbed into the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Mayo remained the head of this department until his retirement in 1981. During his career at North Carolina State, Mayo also taught courses at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Shaw University.

Always active as a professor as well as a community member, Mayo had broad interests, including farm labor, demography and population, health services, education, and social change. All of his interests revolved around his main professional focus, rural communities and their development. Mayo edited the journal Rural Sociology from 1941 to 1951, and was a member of the American Sociological Association, the Population Association of America, the North Carolina Rural Church Institute, and the Rural Sociology Society, in which he served as Vice President in 1963 - 1964. He also served as President of the Southern Sociological Society from 1963 - 1964, after being the Secretary-Treasurer of that organization. In 1974, Mayo was elected President of the North Carolina Sociological Association. In addition to his membership in many organizations, he also published over 150 articles and essays.

Mayo died at the age of 68 on November 16, 1983.

North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Communication Services Records (UA100.099), Special Collections Research Center at NC State University Libraries. Accessed September 25, 2024 (https://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/ua100_099-002-cb0002_024-9252-001)

Selz C. Mayo Papers, MC 00160, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

1973-1974
Everett K. Wilson

Born in 1913 in Nova Scotia, Wilson moved with his family to the United States shortly after World War I. After a three-year interruption for military service during World War II, Wilson returned to earn his Ph.D. in 1952.

In 1948, Wilson worked as a faculty member at Antioch College, his undergraduate alma mater, for 18 years. He left Antioch to serve the American Sociological Association as head of its NSF-funded project to develop curriculum materials for high school students. This constituted the first organized effort to include the discipline as an elective course in secondary schools.

In 1968, Wilson came to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He had already established himself as an outstanding pedagogue and scholar. The latter was exemplified by his work as translator of Durkheim, author of a comprehensive and highly literate introductory text, and collaborator with Theodore Newcomb et al. on a seminal work on college peer groups. In 1972, he took over the reins as editor of Social Forces, the International Journal of Social Research published by the UNC Press. And, most significantly, he designed and was the initial coordinator of the Department's first-in-the-nation formal program for teaching graduate students how to teach sociology.

In this last role, Wilson worked closely with colleague Charles Goldsmid with whom he authored Passing on Sociology, a 400-page scholarly analysis and set of practical guidelines concerning the instructional process as it should apply to our discipline. The book and the UNC course on teaching have provided a lasting legacy to American sociology.

While at Carolina, Wilson also occupied high office in the state, regional, and national professional associations. He served as president of the North Carolina Sociological Association in 1974; vice-president of the American Sociological Association in 1983; and president of the Southern Sociological Society in 1985. He also received the ASA Distinguished Contributions in Teaching Award in 1980.

American Sociological Association. 2000. "January 2000: Footnotes" American Sociological Association. Retrieved September 24, 2024 (https://www.asanet.org/wp-content/uploads/january_2000.pdf).

Cramer, Richard M, Glen H. Elder, and Richard L. Simpson. 2000. “Obituary of Former NCSA President Everett K. Wilson.” North Carolina Sociological Association. Retrieved September 24, 2024 (http://www.ncsociology.org/wilson.htm).

1972-1973
A. M. Denton

Professor Emeritus of Sociology A.M. Denton, Jr. (September 23,1926-UNKNOWN), was born in Sulphur, OK. He majored in sociology and economics at Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University), graduating with a B.S. in 1949. He earned an M.A. in sociology with a minor in economics in 1951 and a Ph.D. in sociology in 1960 from the University of North Carolina (now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). Denton began his professional career in sociology in the summer of 1947, interviewing Oklahoma farm families for the Oklahoma A&M College sociology and anthropology department. In 1957, Denton accepted the post of associate professor of economics and sociology at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, and served as chairperson of the department from 1958-1962. Denton came to Appalachian State Teachers College in 1962. He served as associate professor of sociology for three years before earning a promotion to full professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in 1965. In 1979, he was named professor and chair of the sociology department and coordinator of the undergraduate interdisciplinary minor in gerontology. Denton became acting director of the master of arts program in gerontology in 1987. Denton's professional affiliations include the Gerontological Society of America, the Southern Gerontological Society, and the North Carolina Sociological Association. Denton was one of the founders of the North Carolina Sociological Association and served as its president in 1972-73. He was a frequent contributor to both state and national panels and committees on aging and was a governor's appointee to the 1981 White House Conference on Aging. From 1981 through 1990, he was an advisory council member and vice chair of the five-county area foster grandparent program. Denton was awarded emeritus status by the Board of Trustees in March 1992.

Dr. Richard D. Howe, “Alfred Maxey (A.M.) Denton, Jr., Ph.D.,” Appalachian State University Libraries Digital Collections, accessed September 24, 2024, https://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/48166.

1971-1972
Dorothy Williams

In 1965, Dorothy Williams became the first African American instructor with a faculty ranking in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

North Carolina State University Library. ND. "Department of Sociology and Anthropology Timeline." Historical State Timelines. Retrieved September 24, 2024 (https://historicalstate.lib.ncsu.edu/timelines/department-of-sociology-and-anthropology)

Dorothy S. Williams, NC State University Faculty (0227372)" Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North Carolina.

1969-1971
Joseph S. Himes, Founding President

Scholar and sociologist Joseph Sandy Himes, Jr., was born April 5, 1908 in Jefferson City, Missouri.  In high school, Joseph was blinded while conducting a chemistry experiment with gunpowder. Joseph then attended East High School, which had a heralded program for blind students.  Himes excelled and graduated near the top of his class. He received a scholarship to Oberlin College, where he graduated magna cum laude with a BA in sociology in 1931.  The following year he received his master’s degree in economics and earned his PhD in sociology and economics from Ohio State University in 1938.

 In 1946 Himes joined the faculty of North Carolina College for Negroes (now North Carolina Central University) in Durham. After a twenty-three year career at NCCU, Himes moved to Greensboro and became the first black professor to receive tenure at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1969. In addition, Himes held visiting professorships at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Himes also taught at Helsinki University in Finland and Madras University in India as a Fulbright lecturer. Dr. Himes served as the vice chairman of the North Carolina Blind Advisory Board.

In 1965 Himes was elected president of the Southern Sociological Society.  Himes founded the North Carolina Sociological Association in 1969 and served as its first president. Much of Himes’ research focused on understanding racial and ethnic relations and his work on racial conflict was employed to help facilitate school desegregation in North Carolina.  Himes received countless awards, most notably the DuBois-Johnson-Frazier Award for race relations presented by the American Sociological Society, the Irwin V. Sperry Award from the N.C. Family Life Council for his sociological work on the black family, and was the first recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Award at UNCG. Himes authored six books and published over one hundred journal articles.

Despite growing up legally blind and under Jim Crow segregation, Joseph Himes became one of America’s most accomplished scholars. He challenged both racism and disability by practicing his personal motto, “It is the mind that sees.”

Selected Contributions to Research:

Hurt, Leslie. 2020. "Himes, Joseph Sandy Jr. (1908-1992)." BlackPast. Retrieved September 24, 2024 (https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/himes-joseph-sandy-jr-1908-1992/).

News & Record. 1993. "Renowned Sociologist, Educator Joseph Himes Dies." Greensboro News & Record, August 8. Retrieved October 17, 2024 (https://greensboro.com/renowned-sociologist-educator-joseph-himes-dies/article_e77f9922-5803-5451-8711-978abbe5aa93.html).