One hundred years ago, NC State awarded its first doctoral degree, a Ph.D. in sociology, building on earlier efforts that laid the foundation for what is now the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Those milestones reflect the department’s commitment to rigorous research and more than a century of scholarship devoted to asking big questions about people and the societies they create. From understanding how cultures form to examining the social forces that shape daily life, the department has long focused on helping students make sense of the human experience — past and present.
Since its inception, the department has integrated academic research with practical applications. Faculty focus on pressing and lasting challenges such as poverty, inequality, crime and criminal justice, gender and family issues, education, food systems, climate change, and archaeological science.
Through undergraduate programs in anthropology, criminology and sociology, as well as graduate degrees in anthropology and sociology, the department prepares students to think critically, act ethically and apply knowledge in ways that foster effective societal change.
Experiential learning remains central to that mission. Students have, for example, conducted archaeological (and anthropological) fieldwork in Cyprus and Colombia, examined contemporary Filipino food in Manila, and analyzed artifacts in state-of-the-art anthropology laboratories.
These experiences build bridges between theory and practice — one of CHASS’s core priorities — while encouraging students to engage with communities locally and globally.
With alumni working as archaeologists, data scientists, attorneys, professors, social workers and public servants, and more, the department’s reach spans the public and private sectors.
As the department honors its founding and the historic first doctorate, it does so with a clear sense of continuing a legacy. It prepares graduates to lead with insight, integrity and a deep understanding of the social forces that shape our world.
It will also host a day of programming on March 27 that will feature Ph.D. alumni panels, a graduate student symposium and a reception. The activities will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Caldwell Hall Lounge and the 1911 Building.
The department also created a selected historical timeline and reached out to four doctoral alumni.
Meet Four Alumni:
Kendra Jason, Ph.D. Sociology ’15
Kendra is an associate professor and interim chair of Health Management and Policy at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Her specializations include organizational behavior and management, inequality and labor. She has a particular interest in marginalized workers and how their intersectional experiences influence their workability, health and wellbeing. Her work has been featured at the National Academy of Sciences and in media outlets, including Forbes.com. She is a sought-after speaker on workplace equity and culture.
Why sociology, and what did you like most about studying with CHASS?
Being from the South, racial dynamics were central to my upbringing and life experiences. Sociology gave me the tools, language and frameworks to make sense of my world. When I started as a graduate student at CHASS, I had no idea what I wanted to study beyond race inequality. The graduate program in the department introduced me to work, industries and organizations, which instantly made sense to me coming from a working-class family. Work determined nearly everything about my life experiences, and CHASS offered a program where I could understand the intersection between race, work and class, laying the foundation of my career research agenda.
How did your degree help shape your career path?
Being a sociologist opened the door to many interdisciplinary opportunities. While pursuing my degree, I was a research assistant at the Institute on Aging at UNC Chapel Hill. Soon after I earned my doctorate, I became a research fellow in gerontology, where I pursued a research agenda focusing on older workers with chronic illness. I am known as a health disparities scholar because of these connections. I am also a community-based researcher, where I use my sociological and methodological skills to improve wellness and living conditions for low-income and disenfranchised residents in Charlotte.
What advice would you give your freshman self?
I would tell myself to trust my instincts. Find good mentors and build a broad network.
Linda Lobao, Ph.D. in Sociology ’86
Linda is an Academy Professor emerita at The Ohio State University. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; a distinguished professor of food, agriculture, and environmental sciences; and a past president of the Rural Sociological Society. Her research focuses on the process of economic and political/governmental change and how it impacts socioeconomic inequality across regions, localities and households. She has published four books and approximately 100 journal articles and book chapters. She is currently a co-editor of The Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy, and Society and serves on the editorial board of Social Problems. Her most recent (2025) book is Rethinking Spatial Inequality with Gregory Hooks.
Why sociology, and what did you like most about studying with CHASS?
Sociology opened up a world of thinking that linked my personal biography with social structural conditions, something C. Wright Mills describes as the “sociological imagination.” I was a working-class kid, a first-generation college student. Sociology inspired me to consider the causes and consequences of inequality, especially along class lines. The Department of Sociology and Anthropology had a long tradition of faculty specializing in issues of inequality, and it was the perfect fit for me.
How did your degree help shape your career path?
When I attended NC State, there was a great deal of collaboration between the faculty and doctoral students, with doctoral students treated essentially as co-equals on research projects. This added to our independence and expertise in publishing as well as teaching, and it contributed to our strengths in the job market. The research that I conducted at NC State and my teaching in introductory courses were an important foundation for my future work. My dissertation research was published as a book (Locality and Inequality), and I’ve continued to expand my work in other books and in articles on “spatial inequality.”
What advice would you give your freshman self?
Follow what interests and inspires you in choosing a career. Life is too short to throw away eight hours a day or more into work that doesn’t interest or inspire you. Certainly, there will be compromises along the way, but try to find a path you believe to be fulfilling. This applies to a general career path, a field of research that excites you, and subject matter that you enjoy learning about, teaching, and/or leveraging to help others.
Patricia Warren, Ph.D. in Sociology ’05
Patricia is a professor at Florida State University and a senior researcher with nearly 20 years of experience in conducting end-to-end research, specializing in behavioral analytics and user-centered research design. She is an expert in quantitative methodologies and excels in deriving user insights through survey design and usability testing. She is committed to enhancing functionality while ensuring data-driven insights.
Why sociology, and what did you like most about studying with CHASS?
I was drawn to sociology because I wanted to understand the deeper patterns behind inequality, opportunity and social change. I constantly found myself asking “why” — why do disparities persist, why do institutions function the way they do, and how do policy decisions shape everyday life? Before enrolling at NC State, I had the opportunity to intern for Robert Brown, the former public defender of Durham County. After completing my undergraduate degree, he hired me to work in his office as his law clerk, where I gained firsthand insight into how the criminal justice system operates and how inequalities unfold in real cases and real lives. That experience solidified my commitment to studying the social world through a sociological lens. What I appreciated most about studying in CHASS was its emphasis on critical thinking and intellectual rigor. The faculty challenged me to interrogate assumptions, engage deeply with theory and connect empirical research to real-world problems, which strengthened both my intellectual foundation and my sense of purpose.
How did your degree help shape your career path?
My sociology degree fundamentally shaped how I analyze problems and lead within complex environments. It trained me to see organizations, policies and social systems as interconnected, a perspective that has guided my work as a professor, researcher and academic administrator. The rigorous methodological training I received equipped me to design research that informs policy. The discipline instilled in me a deep commitment to evidence-based decision-making and meaningful social impact to improve the human condition.
What advice would you give your freshman self?
I would tell my freshman self to be intentional about building both skills and relationships early. Take advantage of research assistantships, internships and opportunities to collaborate with faculty. These experiences are transformative. I would also emphasize the importance of developing strong quantitative and writing skills. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or pursue ambitious goals. Finally, remember that careers are rarely linear — stay curious, remain adaptable and trust that your training in sociology equips you to lead and innovate in many spaces.
Vincent Roscigno, Ph.D. in Sociology ’96
Vincent is a distinguished professor of arts and sciences in sociology at The Ohio State University. He earned his Ph.D. at NC State in 1996, and since then has become an award-winning researcher and teacher. An author of three books and more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, his analyses of inequality, education, work and social movement dynamics are widely recognized for their rigor, creativity and influence across the social sciences.
Why sociology, and what did you like most about studying with CHASS?
I was an undergraduate sociology major at another university and was looking for a comfortable university and department that could nurture my intellectual passions. NC State and its faculty were an amazing fit in these regards! I felt welcomed from the start, and the mentorship I received was extraordinary.
How did your degree help shape your career path?
My Ph.D. from NC State set me up for a beautiful future and career as a professor of sociology, as a researcher, and as a teacher and mentor.
What advice would you give your freshman self?
I would tell him to choose a graduate program that challenges him, but that also embraces and encourages him. And then I would congratulate him and tell him that, in fact, he chose perfectly when he chose NC State Sociology!
Select Historical Timeline
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1923
Department of Rural Sociology and History was established.
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1926
NC State awarded its first doctoral degree, a Ph.D. in sociology, to Jesse Mowry.
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1937
History and Sociology departments split into separate departments.
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1953
Department renamed the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
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1967
Wilma Peebles-Wilkins was among the first Black women to graduate with a sociology degree.
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1972
In a Black Perspective was published, listing courses on Black history and culture
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1990
Economics and Sociology programs split into separate departments.
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2000
Criminology major established.
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2009
First anthropology MA graduate
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2012
The department became fully housed within CHASS after being in CHASS and CALS.
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2026
Department celebrates anniversary.