Accomplishments

SBS achievements at NAU and beyond

From new innovative research to thriving student organizations, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences has a lot to celebrate! Our faculty, staff, and students have achieved amazing things both on campus and nationally. Take a look at some of these outstanding accomplishments and please join us in congratulating them.

SBS 2023 student accomplishments

Drew Bosley

Third place, NCAA Cross Country National Championship

Drew Bosley, a journalism major in the School of Communication, won third place in the cross country national championship. His strong running helped propel the NAU men to their third consecutive national championship title. Congratulations Drew, and thanks for bringing the trophy by for a visit.

Claire Simchuk and Michael Rivera

Geography, Planning, and Recreation students illuminate diversity in Shades of Route 66 exhibit

Congratulations to Claire Simchuk and Michael Rivera, undergraduate students in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Recreation, who provided ArcGIS geographic analysis that helped bring Ivan Pacheco and Lazarus Melan’s Shades of Route 66: Celebrating Diversity along Historic Route 66 in the State of Arizona online exhibit to life. They created a powerful story map that will lead to increased opportunity and national recognition for the upcoming Centennial Celebration of Route 66.

Charlie Dors

Featured on NAU Stories and presenting at the 2023 Undergraduate Symposium

Congratulations to Charlie Dors, a first-generation student double majoring in Political Science and Sociology. Working with their mentors Victoria Damjanovic, assistant professor in special and early childhood education, and James Bowie, teaching professor, Department of Sociology, Charlie is part of a faculty research project called “Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning with Teachers and Children.” Specifically, their work focuses on gender and gender stereotypes in the pre-primary education space. Read more about his research at NAU Stories.

SBS 2023 faculty accomplishments

Amber Abila

Transformational Educator of the Year, National Association of Social Workers, Arizona Branch

Amber Abila, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Social Work, was awarded Transformational Educator of the Year for being an authentic and innovative leader in social work education. Amber is an enthusiastic educator who goes above and beyond to inspire professional integrity and strengthen students’ desire to make a positive difference and reach their full potential.

Brooke A. de Heer, Jessie K. Finch, and Nancy Wonders

Solutions to Structural Inequities: Busting Myths and Reimagining Critical Justice

Congratulations to Brooke A. de Heer, assistant professor, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice; Jessie K. Finch, chair, Sociology, Department of Sociology; and Nancy Wonders, professor, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice for their book Solutions to Structural Inequities: Busting Myths and Reimagining Critical Justice. They presented research from the book to NAU students on April 11, 2023. Their books are part of the Routledge Critical Studies in Crime, Diversity, and Criminal Justice series.

Rima Brusi

Research grant from the Gates Foundation

Rima Brusi, professor, Department of Anthropology, studies and does applied work on inequality and higher education, and is part of the team working on the Arizona Attainment Alliance (A++), a unique partnership with all community college districts in the state. The team received a 2-year grant from the Gates Foundation to support a research component designed and implemented by Brusi to study the development and challenges of this novel approach.