Prospective Students

Welcome to GVSU Sociology!

The Reverend Martin Luther King was a sociology major. So was former First Lady, philanthropist, and lawyer, Michelle Obama. Sociology welcomes critical thinkers of all varieties and we are proud to say that our student body is one of the most diverse on campus. If you want to change the world, and you don’t think it is cliché to say so, sociology may very well be the major for you. By developing a “sociological imagination” you will be better able to actively engage the world around you and to do something constructive and useful in it. Sociology students learn about the dynamics of race, class, and gender and about the powerful institutions that we live in and work in everyday. Our graduates have found success in government and non-profit agencies, in large and small private business, and as university professors and researchers. Students choose the sociology major because they are genuinely interested in the concepts and ideas that we teach and because sociology helps them to understand their lives. The world is constantly changing. Why not learn to affect that change? 

Other notable Sociology Majors include:

  • Political Activist, Minister, and Politician, Reverend Jesse Jackson
  • Politician, Activist, and Educator, Shirly Chisolm
  • Politician Maxine Waters
  • Politician Cory Booker
  • Actress Nina Dobrev
  • Actress Gabrielle Union
  • Actor Kal Penn
  • Author Mitch Albom
  • Actor Dan Ackroyd
  • Former Head of NAACP Roy Wilkins
  • Workers' Rights Activist Francis Perkins
  • The Sex Doctor, aka Dr. Ruth Westheimer,
  • Father of Community Organizing, Saul Alinsky
  • Athlete Alonzo Morning
  • Actress Yara Shahidi (in school now for Sociology)
  • NFL Coach Mike Tomlin

Events

Student Senate General Assembly

February 19, 2026 5:15 PM - 7:15 PM

Student Senate General Assembly (GA) is the weekly public meeting of the GVSU Student Senate. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom using the link below....

FREE Drop-In Whiffleball

February 19, 2026 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM

FREE EVENT Thursday, February 19 9:00pm KTB (Full field) Wiffleball offers a fast-paced, easy-to-learn version of baseball that anyone can jump into. Whether you're an experienced player, or...

10th Roger That! Conference: Space and Time (INT 100/201 approved)

February 20, 2026 All Day

The 10th  Roger That! Conference  – A Celebration of Space Exploration in Honor of Roger B Chaffee will be held on Friday, February 20th, and Saturday, February...

First-year Queer Alliance Townhall

February 20, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

The Rainbow Resource Center is hosting a townhall about our First-year Queer Alliance evening club. If you have ever attended FQA, we would like to hear from you! Join us in this guided dialogue around...

Leadership Summit 2026

February 20, 2026 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM

The highly anticipated Leadership Summit returns in 2026, reinvigorating students' spirit of leadership and empowerment from diverse backgrounds. Hosted on campus, this dynamic conference is a nexus...

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Page last modified January 17, 2022