Title: Professor
Department: Social Science, Educ&wellness
Office: Black Hawk Hall 108
Phone: 319-296-2320 ext. 1043
Address
Hawkeye Community College
Black Hawk Hall 108
1501 East Orange Rd
PO Box 8015
Waterloo, IA 50704-8015
Courses I Teach
Courses I Currently Teach
Courses I've Recently Taught
Educational Background
- Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
- Master of Arts in Sociology, Loyola University Chicago
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, University of Iowa
- Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Des Moines Area Community College
Committees and Internal Projects
- Diversity and Inclusion Council
- Curriculum Committee
- Hawkeye Reads Committee
- Liberal Arts Advisory Board and Liberal Arts Mini-Con, chair
- Faculty Chair for the Humanities and Social Sciences department
Community Service and External Projects
Interested in Sociology or Social Services?
About Me
I am from Iowa, having moved around the state quite a bit while growing up. I started my college experience as a community college student at DMACC and earned a Liberal Arts Associate of Arts degree. I then transferred to the University of Iowa and became the first in my family to earn a Bachelor’s degree. After graduation I worked for a market research firm while figuring out the next step in my journey. That led me to Loyola University Chicago, where I earned a Master of Arts degree.
While at Loyola, and living in the neighborhood of Rogers Park in the city, I became increasingly interested in social justice issues surrounding race, class, and gender. Specifically, I focused my studies and research on identity and immigrant experiences. I was part of a research team led by Dr. Fred Kniss, and our work culminated in the book Sacred Assemblies and Civic Engagement, How Religion Matters for America's Newest Immigrants. My own master’s research involved participant observation at the Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Community Center (BHACC), where I focused on how 1.5 generation immigrants negotiated both Bosnian and American identities.
Moving back to Iowa I worked as an adjunct instructor at DMACC then in 2004, I was hired at Hawkeye Community College.
Outside of work and community engagement, I like to spend time with my husband, Antonio. Together, we enjoy travel (international and domestic), spending time with both sides of the family, and watching Ted Lasso (hands down, the best series in the history of television).