UW-Madison Department of Sociology

06/05/2026

Every year, we celebrate three instructors who have gone above and beyond to foster inclusive, challenging, and productive learning environments for our students.

🍎 The recipient of this year’s Student Lecturer Award is Emily Burke (left). Emily was rated “outstanding” in all areas, especially her knack for creating an atmosphere where students felt welcome. Indeed, well over 95% of Emily’s students felt she created a safe space where they could take part. As one student put it, “Emily did a fantastic job in making the lecture feel welcoming and helped alleviate my fear of answering questions.”

🍎 The Teaching Assistant Award went to Yujin “Della" Tao (right). After serving as a teaching assistant for five semesters for Soc 120: Marriage and the Family, Della is now an integral part of this course due to her expertise and organization. Her dedication and detailed comments on assignments, which she provides well before the deadline, have made a significant difference. As one student remarked: “I loved having Della as a TA. Della truly wants all of us to succeed and does a great job of giving specific and helpful feedback.”

🍎 Christine Schwartz (not pictured) was honored with the department’s Faculty Teaching Award. In her long tenure at UW-Madison, Christine’s impact on undergraduate success has been significant; this is especially evident in her role with the Concentration in Analysis and Research (CAR) Program. Renowned for her exceptional organization skills and well-balanced expectations, Christine’s ability to break down difficult topics into more digestible forms makes her a truly exceptional teacher. Whether instructing in the graduate class Demographic Techniques-II or teaching Statistics for Sociologists I, her talent in “assuaging any fear of math” is unsurpassed. One student remarked, “her love of stats made the atmosphere in the class exciting… and she created a positive, non-judgmental learning atmosphere.”

Thank you to all of our teaching award recipients for going above and beyond to give students an exceptional learning experience!

06/02/2026

We’re delighted to share that two members of the Sociology Department received Staff Awards from the College of Letters and Science this year! Charlotte Frascona has received the Graduate Advising Award, and Cabell Gathman received an Academic Staff Teaching Excellence Award.

Charlotte Frascona has ushered grad students through the Ph.D. program with great compassion since 2012. Charlotte has a unique ability to reconcile the sometimes byzantine policies of higher education with a sincere and heartfelt concern for her students.

Cabell Gathman has been a lecturer with our department since 2022; she is also teaches for . Students rave about Cabell’s teaching and regularly report that she’s changed the way that they see the world. Her signature extravagant attire makes her an instantly recognizable campus icon.

04/23/2026

Martin Eiermann studies the politics of personal data and the consequences of becoming visible to—and being managed by—contemporary state institutions of care and social control.

Some of his recent work tracking the intersections of AI and privacy was featured in L&S News. Read the full article at https://ls.wisc.edu/news/the-politics-of-personal-data.

04/17/2026

Thank you to everyone who made a gift during Day of the Badger, with a special thanks to the thirteen folks who gave to the Andrea Michelle Sperka fund! You helped raise $2,598 to support this scholarship for outstanding sociology students and over two million dollars for the University of Wisconsin overall!
Your dedication and material support to the university is more important than ever. Even small actions add up to large results, and we are truly making a difference in the lives of students. Thank you for joining the party to pay it forward!

04/14/2026

Please help us remember Andrea Sperka and help other generous students like her this Day of the Badger.

The Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship is awarded each spring to a sociology major who exemplifies the outstanding qualities of a bright and talented former sociology student. This fund was established by Carol and Michael Sperka in memory of their beloved daughter, Andrea Michelle Sperka. Andrea was a senior when she tragically lost her life in an automobile accident in Botswana after completing her studies abroad.

Throughout her undergraduate years, Andrea carried a demanding academic schedule while working to help meet her educational expenses. In addition, Andrea often served as a volunteer, including work with homeless children in Madison and in South Africa. It is in Andrea’s spirit of helping others that Carol and Michael Sperka created this fitting tribute.

By giving to this fund, you can make things a bit easier for sociology majors who go out of their way to make the world a better place, just like Andrea did.

Please help us remember Andrea Sperka and help other generous students like her this Day of the Badger. The Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship is awarded each spring to a sociology major who exemplifies the outstanding qualities of a bright and talented former sociology student. This fund was establ...

04/13/2026

Hear from Undergraduate Advisor Lyn Macgregor about why the Andrea Michelle Sperka Scholarship is so important to our Sociology majors.

Day of the Badger 2024https://sociology.wisc.edu/2024/02/13/get-ready-for-day-of-the-badger-2024/

04/09/2026

Congratulations to David Montalvo, who has been selected to receive a 2025-26 Campus-Wide TA Award!

David Montalvo has been selected to receive a 2025-26 Campus-Wide TA Award. He is one of eleven recipients of the Early Excellence in Teaching Award, which honors TAs with fewer than four semesters of teaching …

04/08/2026

Students in the sociology class “Research to Enhance Equity in Education” studied real data from the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). Their research question: Which families are opting not to enroll their children in the Madison school district, and why?

Students in the sociology class “Research to Enhance Equity in Education” studied real data from the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). Their research question: Which families are opting not to enroll their children in the …

03/07/2026

In 2017, Sociology major Rose Lavelle graduated from UW-Madison. Fast forward to today, and Rose has added another achievement to her impressive resume: she was named the 2025 Female Player of the Year by U.S. Soccer!

In 2017, Sociology major Rose Lavelle graduated from UW-Madison. Fast forward to today, and Rose has added another achievement to her impressive resume: she was named the 2025 Female Player of the Year by U.S. …

03/04/2026

Join Rec Well and WUD Wellness on Active Badger Day to kick back and create-your-own diamond art coasters and enjoy some pizza, mocktails, table games, puzzles, origami, and more!

Active Badger Day is an annual spring event led by Rec Well to encourage campus to get active, in a variety of ways through the eight dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, financial, occupational, and spiritual! Drop in anytime to take a break and practice social wellness and cultivate new connections!

This event will take place on Thursday, March 5th from 5:00-8:00pm (drop-in style) at the Well, located on the second floor of Union South.