The students, faculty, and staff of the Department of Sociology have been recognized for their excellence locally, regionally, and nationally.

Please see below for lists of recipients of our annual and biennual student awards, as well as a sampling of recognitions received by our faculty and staff.

  • Erick Sherman 2022-2023
  • Brandon Warren 2020-2021
  • Ericka Dee Fox 2018-2019
  • Devaugn Jones 2016-2017
  • Jasmine Page 2014-2015
  • Jessica Poore 2012-2013
  • Erica Kesling 2010-2011
  • Alex Perdue 2010-2011
  • Jessica Matchett 2008-2009
Learn more about the scholarship and how to apply.
  • Gio Guia 2022-2023
  • Payton Drefcinski 2020-2021
  • Catherine Teague 2019-2020
  • Audrey Loomis 2018-2019
  • Shelby Sims 2017-2018
  • Peter Moskalew 2016-2017
  • Leilani Pearce 2015-2016
  • Erin K. Phelps 2014-2015
  • Tori Ong 2013-2014
  • Eryn Collins 2012-2013
  • Alaina R. Camblin 2011-2012
  • Cynthia M. Thom 2010-2011
  • Zachary T. Green 2009-2010
Learn more about the scholarship and how to apply.

John Anderson

  • 2017 John J. Hill Award, Association of Lifelong Learners
  • 2018 Outstanding Professor, Student Government Association

Sara Collas

  • 2018 Faculty Academy Participant

Fang Gong

  • 2011 Excellence in Research Award, Center for Disease Control and Transmission Behavioral and Social Science Working Group (with Fujishiro and Xu).
  • 2011 Alice Hamilton Award, Honorable Mention for health and safety intervention materials, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (With Sherry Baron et al.).

Kim Hennessee

2018 Nominee, National Residence Hall Honorary Outstanding Professor

Mellisa Holtzman

Honors and Awards

  • 2022    Aida Tomeh Distinguished Service Award, North Central Sociological Association
  • 2021    Freshman Convocation Speaker, Ball State University
  • 2019    Outstanding Teaching Award, Ball State University
  • 2018    Ball State Softball Most Valuable Professor Honoree, Ball State University
  • 2017    Professor of the Month Award, Alpha Gamma Delta, Ball State University
  • 2017    National Residence Hall Honorary Award, Ball State University
  • 2014    John F. Schnabel Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award, North Central Sociological Association
  • 2007    Lawhead Teaching Award in the University Core Curriculum, Ball State University
  • 2005    Excellence in Teaching Award, Ball State University
  • 2000    Edwin Ford Piper Memorial Scholarship Award Recipient, University of Iowa

 

Research Grants and Fellowships

  • 2023    Banerjee, Aashna, Larry Gerstein, and Mellisa Holtzman. “Sexual Violence Prevention Program for College Women in India.” Benjamin V. Cohen Peace Fellowship, $50,000
  • 2009    National Science Foundation, Social and Economic Sciences Division, Law and Social Sciences and Sociology Programs (joint funding), “Precipitating Legal Change: Children’s Rights, Family Definitions, and Judicial Decision-Making,” $81,671
  • 2008    General Faculty Research Grant, Ball State University, “Children’s Rights, Family Definitions, and the Maintenance of Attachment Relationships in Custody Decision Making,” $12,895
  • 2005    John W. Fisher Faculty Research Fellowship in American Business or Politics, Ball State University, “Theorizing Legal Change,” $2000
  • 2005    Lumina Foundation for Education Fellowship, Ball State University, “The ‘Problem’ of Application Questions: Determining What They Really Mean,” $3000
  • 2004    New Faculty Research Grant, Ball State University, “Definitions of the Family among College Students: Biology, Social Attachment, or Ambivalence,” $4464
Melinda Messineo
  • 2016 Hans O. Mauksch Award for Distinguished Contributions to Undergraduate Education, American Sociological Association, Section on Teaching and Learning
  • 2016 Outstanding faculty Service Award, Ball State University
  • 2011 Accessible Teacher of the Year Award, Disabled Student Services, Ball State University
  • 2009 Outstanding Teaching Award, Ball State University
  • 2009 John H Schnabel Award- Distinguished Contribution to Teaching Award from North Central Sociological Association
  • 2008 “Whitinger Scholar Lecture” – selected by fourth year Whitinger Scholars
  • 2004 “Vivian Conley Award” – for Outstanding Achievement in Community Service
  • 2004, 2009 “Green Initiative Award” – for integration of environmental issues and sustainability into the First Year Experience program, BSU Council on the Environment
  • 2003 “Lawhead Award” – For excellence in the Core Curriculum, 2003

Lisa Pellerin

2015 Academic Excellence Grant “Social Science Departmental Advising Initiative,” $300,000 (with Professors Messineo, Hogue, Morrison, Mittleman, and Reagan).

Richard Petts

Honors and Awards

  • 2020 Outstanding Research Award, Ball State University

Research Grants and Fellowships

  • 2023-2024 grant from Russell Sage Foundation (Grant Award Number 2205-38532), Attitudes about Parental Leave-Taking for Single and Same-Gender Parents, $114,806 (co-PIs Trenton D. Mize and Gayle Kaufman)
  • 2022-2025 grant from National Science Foundation (Grant Award Numbers 2148610 and 2148501), Collaborative Research – Parenting, Housework, Well-Being, and the COVID-19 Pandemic, $330,000 (co-PI Daniel L. Carlson)
  • 2020 grant from American Sociological Association Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline, The Long-Term Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Household Gender Equality, $8,000 (co-PIs Daniel L. Carlson and Joanna R. Pepin)
  • 2017-2019 grant from Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant Award Number R03HD087875), Paternity Leave and Family Health and Well-Being, $162,032 (co-investigator Chris Knoester)
  • 2018 Faculty Fellow Lead, Skills Infusion Program, Ball State University
  • 2018 Faculty Fellow Participant, Skills Infusion Program, Ball State University
  • 2012 Sponsored Programs Office Summer Fellow, Ball State University

Jun Xu

  • 2017 Diversity Research Award, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, Ball State University
  • 2015 Research Article Award, Asia and Asian America Section of the American Sociological Association, for the paper titled “Marginalized Model Minority? An Empirical Examination of the Racial Triangulation of Asian Americans,” published at Social Forces with Jennifer Lee (award given to the best article  published on Asia and Asian Americans in 2013-2015).
  • 2011 Excellence in Research Award, Center for Disease Control and Transmission Behavioral and Social Science Working Group (with Fujishiro and Gong).

Ellen Whitehead

  • 2022-2026 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, United States Department of Agriculture (joint funding), “Rural Informal Work in Economically, Socially, Culturally, and Technologically Changing Contexts”
  • 2023 Center for Middletown Studies Research Fellowship, Ball State University (joint funding), “Residential Decision-Making of College Students in an Era of Increasing Political Bifurcation and Devolution of Individual Rights”
  • 2022 Aspire Junior Faculty Research Grant, Ball State University, “Online Crowdfunding as an Emerging Safety Net for American Families”
  • 2020-2022 Russell Sage Foundation Presidential Authority Grant (joint funding), “How Rental Property Management Shapes Social and Economic Inequality”

 

  • Mathilda Okhuemoi 2023
  • Yolanda Arcineiga 2022
  • Taryn Wield 2021
  • Betsy Kiel 2020
  • Rachel Finchum 2019
  • Olivia Ashba 2018
  • Morgan Self 2017
  • Rachel Stenger 2016
  • Brendan Dugan 2015
  • Matthew Sommerville 2015
  • Jared Sell 2014
  • Elaina Johns Wolfe 2013
  • Josiah Grover 2012
  • Morgan Roddy 2011
  • Miriam Barrera 2022-2023
  • Myah Boyes 2022-2023
  • Julia Tharp 2021-2022
  • Payton Drefcinski 2021-2022
  • Catherine Teague 2020-2021
  • Audrey Loomis 2019-2020
  • Erica Dee Fox 2019-2020
  • Stacey Hodges 2018-2019
  • Laura Drascic 2017-2018
  • Olivia Power 2017-2018
  • Leilani Pearce 2016-2017
  • Drew Apanavicius 2016-2017
  • Meagan Brant 2015-2016
  • Tom Henry 2015-2016
  • Jessica Poore 2014-2015
  • David Nickel 2013-2014
  • Wes Jones 2013-2014
  • Sabrina Tanner 2012-2013
  • Nicholas Marchi 2012-2013
  • Justin Krowel 2011-2012
  • Eric G. Boothby 2011-2012
  • Britni N. Miltenberger 2010-2011
  • Zachary T. Green 2010-2011
  • Kevin J. Wallpe 2009-2010
  • Kodee L. Walls 2009-2010
  • Anna H. Smitherman 2008-2009
  • Erin K. Slack 2008-2009
  • Amanda N. Zimmerman 2007-2008
  • Tracey H. Randolph 2007-2008
  • Tyler D. Crandall 2006-2007
  • Sarah K. Bradbury 2005-2006
  • Sara J. Clagg 2004-2005
  • Kristen G. Helm 2004-2005
  • Amanda J. Price 2003-2004
  • Elisabeth A. Stowe 2003-2004
  • Jessica Fertig 2002-2003
  • Peggy Lewman 2001-2002
  • Jennifer Gibson 2000-2001