Current Graduate Students

April Armstrong

April Armstrong is a 21 year old graduate student who moved to Portland from the Seattle area. Her interests include conflict theory in general, sociology of higher education, gender relations, and any books about participant observation studies. Her thesis topic is first generation transfer students and their experiences in higher education. If you'd like to ask her any questions about the program or anything else you can email her at aarmstro@pdx.edu

Robin Baker

Robin Baker got her BA in sociology at Portland State.  She loved the department and the city so much that she decided to stick around for another 2 years to get her Masters.  She is interested in prison abolition, prisoner rights, racism, and class bias in the United States.  Her thesis is on the resistance tactics that women ex-prisoners in Portland, Oregon use to maintain a sense of self within a social and political economy that labels them as deviant women.  She is also working with Dr. Johanna Brenner on a survey of crime survivors to identify the various factors that affect a person’s willingness to report crimes.  When she is not working on her thesis, she likes reading fantasy novels and crafting.  If you have any questions about sociology, the departments, and/or prison research, feel free to contact her at rlbaker@pdx.edu. 

Awards: Department of Sociology Outstanding Senior, 2006; PSU Undergraduate Award of Excellence, 2006    

Peter Brink

Peter Brink graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana with a B.A. in Psychology. He worked in case management of MRDD adults prior to moving to Oregon in 2000. Upon moving to Oregon, Peter worked as a case manager of high-risk youth for the Job Corps program. In that role, he initiated positive reinforcement programs, educational support and assisted clients in changing their home lives and goals. In 2005 he began working at SE Works, a non-profit organization in the Lents neighborhood of Portland which assists residents with any type of public assistance. Peter's focus was on working with high-risk youth, helping them create an education plan and enrolling them in school, job placement assistance and employment readiness skills. He taught employment classes and aided clients in getting out of their disruptive home environments. The years of case management work engaged Peter in deciding that there has to be something better for these young people; researching how to take someone out of their existing environment and providing them new opportunities and establishing new values to life will help them become productive members of society. That is why he has decided to get his Master's in Sociology – to help youth break out of the cycle of poverty and crime.

When not studying, Peter enjoys spending time with his two young sons, playing basketball and camping He can be reached at brinkp@pdx.edu.

Tina Burdsall

Tina received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  After some time off pursuing other life experiences, she returned to school.  Her sociological interests include education, life-course experiences and expectations, adolescents, health, and micro-theories.  Her thesis is exploring “non-traditionally aged” master’s degree students adaptation of the graduate student role identity.  She is an active member of the PSU Sociology Club, and is the Undergraduate Student Adviser for the Sociology Department at PSU.  Tina is a Co-Chair of the Pacific Sociological Association’s Student Affairs Committee and a lifetime member of Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society. You can contact Tina at: tdb@pdx.edu

Tyanne Conner

Tyanne Conner received her B.S. from PSU after a five-year break in her education. In 2006, she was accepted to and completed the McNair program for first-generation college students. This experience convinced her that graduate school was a possibility. She is now studying the experiences of former McNair scholars and hopes to add to the body of knowledge in the area of student retention as well as programs to assist first-generation and under-represented students. In her free time, she likes to cross-country ski, hike in the mountains, knit hats and scarves for friends and family, and create original masterpieces in the kitchen. Tyanne can be contacted at: tyannec@pdx.edu

Cara Copeland

Cara Copeland is an education junkie receiving her B.A. in Spanish Education in 1995, her M.Ed. in Higher Education in 2002 and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Sociology with a PhD on the horizon. After teaching high school she entered the world of Higher Education administration where she worked for ten years. Now back in the classroom, her sociological interests include race, higher education, identity, families, urban sociology and rural sociology. Her thesis is a study of race and its many interactions with higher education. When she is not living the life of the mind, her world is entertained by three young children and a very supportive husband. To keep life balanced, she can usually be found working in her garden or running the streets of her rural community. You can contact her at ccopelan@pdx.edu.

Rhianna Derscheid

Rhianna Derscheid received her B.A. in Public Affairs from Washington State University, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. After taking time off to work and be a mom she decided to return to school to obtain her Master's degree in sociology. She is interested in sociology of higher education. She would like to examine issues of belonging for low income college students. She is a north Portland native and currently lives in Vancouver, Washington, where she works as an adviser at Clark College. When she is not busy with her graduate studies she enjoys spending time with her 10-year-old son and Pug. She also practices martial arts and has competed in Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Feel free to contact her any time: rhiannad@pdx.edu

Jaysen Ferestad

Jaysen Ferestad recieved her BA at the University of Montana, in Missoula, Montana with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology with an emphasis on Criminology. After taking a year off, she moved to Portland to pursue an MA in Sociology. Her thesis explores the effects of Montana's latest anti-drug campaign on recovering meth addicts. Because the campaign uses negative portrayals of meth addicts, she is particularly interested in how the campaign affects their sense of self and community and ultimately their ability to socially reintegrate. Her thesis is chaired by Melissa Thompson. When Jaysen is not working on her thesis, she is either working as a graduate assistant, working as a barista for Coffee Rush, or playing with her two dogs. You can contact her at jaysenf@pdx.edu.

Awards:
UM Outstanding Senior in Sociology 2005
Undergraduate Research Scholarship 2004

Presentations:
Ferestad, Ellestad and Scott. Mobile Connections: Being in the Place but not of the Space. Paper presented at annual meeting of the Pacific Sociological Association, Marriot Hotel, Portland, OR, April 7, 2005

Ferestad, Ellestad and Scott. A Tool or Jewelry: Exploring the Meaning of Cell Phones. Paper presented at annual meeting of the Pacific Sociological Association, Marriot Hotel, Portland, OR, April 7, 2005. Also presented at the Northwest Anthropological Conference, Spokane, WA, March 2005.

Ferestad, Ellestad and Scott. Just Say No: Exploring the Norms of Cell Phone Use in Public. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Marriott Hotel, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA, Aug 12, 2005

Stephanie Kirmer

Stephanie completed her B.A. at the University of Kansas where she studied sociology, European studies, and art history. At Portland State, she is pursuing her M.A. in sociology with a focus on medicine and healthcare. Her thesis is about the effect of socioeconomic status on utilization of mental health care as demonstrated by the National Comorbidity Survey. She is currently assisting Professor Matthew Carlson on a research project surveying Medicare/Medicaid recipients of the Oregon Health Plan who have disenrolled from the provider CareOregon. Outside of academics, Stephanie also sits on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Humanist Studies, a national nonprofit organization.
You can contact Stephanie at: skirmer@pdx.edu

Angie Mejia

Angie’s thesis’ goal is to shed light on changing gender norms and practices of immigrants occurring after migration to new high immigration sites. Other academic interests include Latina grassroots and labor organizing; Latino/a Youth and post-secondary educational attainment; and Latin American women issues. Her non-academic activities include immigrants’ rights organizing, cross-border solidarity activism, computer gaming, and being a mom.  Angie is also the Undergraduate Student Adviser for the Chicano-Latino Studies Program at PSU and the Oregon Leadership Institute Coordinator.

Organizations: Las Mujeres de la Raza at Portland State University, PCASC/Cispes, and MALCS.

Awards:  Laurels Graduate Tuition Scholarship, President’s Diversity Initiative Award Recipient, Las Mujeres Latina Leadership Award and Chicano/Latino Studies Gala Scholarship Award.

You can contact Angie at: amejia@pdx.edu

Jen Moore

Jen Moore is an Interdisciplinary Masters student focusing on Sociology and Women Studies. Her interest include feminist theory and methods, sociology theory and methods, identity, gendered language, and feminist pedagogy. She is researching the connection between young girl's self-esteem and their music. After receiving her degree, she would like to teach full time. Please contact Jen by emailing her: jenmoore@principia.edu

Stephanie Reinauer

Stephanie moved to Portland from Bellingham, WA where she was taking some time off after “Stephanie Goes to Grad School: Take One,” at the University of New Hampshire. She is a methods junkie aspiring to a career in community-based applied social research, including program planning and evaluation. Her thesis, “Experiencing Advocacy: The Effect of Survivor Status on Domestic Violence Workers,” includes in-depth interviews and participant observation. Outside of school, Stephanie is likes bicycles, yarn, square dancing, and chocolate.

Ron Sandquist

Ron is a returning student pursuing his M.S. in Sociology after a 13 year hiatus from Portland State University. He received his B.S. in Sociology in 1994 and from then went on to work in Juvenile Corrections. This is not to say his studies ended however as he has developed multiple lectures for a local lecture group ranging in topics from the philosophical links between Friedrich Nietzsche, Aleister Crowley, Ayn Rand, and Anton LaVey to the historical significance of the serpent in Levantine mythology. His thesis topic is Entheogens: The Criminal Sacraments and his interests are fringe, and especially "deviant," religious groups, the social construction of reality, post-modernism, moral relativism, and anything that challenges conventional forms of thinking. He is a committed father of three school age children who is attempting to stay actively involved in their lives while he pursues a Ph.D. and a teaching career while working two jobs. You can contact Ron Sandquist at rfs@pdx.edu

Sam Shea

Sam Shea received his undergraduate degree in Social Change and Development at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.  His interest in Social Inequality, and Criminology brought him to Portland State University and is working on a thesis which seeks to understand Perceived Risk, Fear of Crime, and Behavior Constraints in an Urban University Context.  Sam also enjoys the art of glassblowing as a craft and hobby, as well as enjoying the opportunity to snowboard on Mt. Hood, and the other endless outdoor adventures in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. 
You can contact Sam at: sshea@pdx.edu

 

Lauren Stewart

Lauren Stewart received her B.A. in Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University with a minor in Women's Studies. Lauren's main interests are gender and sexualities with a specific focus given to masculinities. Her current research is looking at how college men negotiate masculinity and the impact this has on rape culture. Lauren is a Nashville, TN native and currently resides in Portland. She is a graduate assistant in the Department of Sociology and has worked with Dr. Heather Hartley on classes such as Gender and Sexualities and Sociology of Women. In her free time Lauren enjoys exploring the Northwest and playing outside. You may reach Lauren at: lstew@pdx.edu

 

Jocelyn W. Thomas

Jocelyn W. Thomas received her Bachelors in Sociology from Sonoma State University in the spring of 2007. While there, she was a member of Alpha Kappa Delta and an intern with the non-profit organization Project Censored, where she wrote and edited articles detailing news stories that had been ignored by corporate media conglomerates. Her senior capstone was entitled "The Amazing Tattooed Woman" and focused on how heavily tattooed women negotiate their femininity in a male dominated subpopulation. After finishing her B.A. she moved from her native California to Portland to attend PSU. The focus of her Masters thesis is how women in the hot rod subcultures of Washington and California create their own position within the male dominated group, and how they negotiate their own femininity in a culture that celebrates masculinity. She can be contacted at jwthomas@pdx.edu.

Carolyn Zook

Carolyn’s areas of interest are social movements, humanitarian rights, and genocide.  Her thesis (working title: Who Cares? Social Activists on Genocide in Darfur) will use semi-structured interviews (email and in-person), to explore the career paths of individual social activists working on Darfur, what makes for successful involvement and actions in the social activist network, and what keeps activists motivated and involved in the cause.

Carolyn is an active member of the PSU Sociology Club.

Professional Affiliations: Pacific Sociological Association, American Sociological Association, Midwest Sociological Society, Association for Humanist Sociology You can contact Carolyn at: zook@pdx.edu