“In many courses, part of the learning process is sharing personal experiences that have relevance to the topic at hand.”
Coming to Gustavus intending to become a Business Major, Carter quickly realized that this was not his path and decided to take courses in other departments. After taking intro classes within the Sociology & Anthropology Department, Carter decided to continue exploring the field. Since then, they have taken special topics courses such as “Compassion in Society” and “Magic, Mystic and Occult”, which have given them opportunities to explore different lenses and aspects of society. While Carter enjoys the course content of their Sociology and Anthropology courses, one of his favorite parts about the department is the supportive and welcoming environment, saying, “The entire classroom participates in ensuring a safe and validating space to speak about their personal experiences”. Since the department is relatively small, Carter appreciates the interpersonal relationships that he has built with peers and the academic and personal support that he has received from them. The content of Sociology courses also allows for students to connect with one another, often sharing their own personal experiences with social disparities. The Sociology and Anthropology Department has given Carter opportunities to explore future career possibilities, saying, “The department helped me connect the dots to positions that don’t come up when you Google ‘jobs with sociology degree’”. Professors in the department have given Carter resources for networking and other opportunities, and they have used these opportunities to connect with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for a summer internship. He is grateful for this support from Sociology & Anthropology faculty, particularly Professor Suzanne Wilson, who has been impactful to Carter both as a professor and as an academic advisor.