Peggy Carris has accepted a Visiting Assistant Professor position, with the potential of a tenure line, in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Peggy will be teaching courses like Introduction to Sociology, Social Probems, Social Inequalities in Education, and Theory. Go Belles and go Peggy! Peggy's dissertation work is chaired by Dr. Pat Rubio Goldsmith, along with Dr. Mary Campbell, Dr. Brian Holzman, and Dr. Glenda Musoba (Educational Administration and Human Resource Development).
Peggy’s research centers on the sociology of education and race and ethnicity, focusing on how discrimination in schools impacts the academic success and experience of underrepresented student groups. She shows how systemic inequities—such as racism, classism, and sexism—shape educational outcomes and reinforce disparities. Her current research uses restricted data from the 2012/2017 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:12/17) to explore how institutional context influences first-generation students’ sense of belonging, showing that belonging varies with students’ social position and the type of institution they attend. Findings reveal higher levels of belonging in schools with more marginalized students, and that institutional selectivity has a more negative impact on first-generation students than their peers with college-educated parents. This research addresses a critical gap by providing a national analysis of first-generation students’ sense of belonging across institutions, identifying which schools foster inclusive environments and best practices for those that do not. Her work has been recognized and supported through a 12-month full funding award through the Texas A&M University Graduate and Professional School Future Faculty Fellowship.
Congratulations, Peggy!