Sociology Student Educational Policy Committee (SEPC)
The Sociology SEPC represents the majors by serving in a variety of ways: we meet with the faculty, organize study breaks and other social events (such as the end-of-the-year picnic!), evaluate faculty during reviews, help select faculty candidates, propose curriculum changes, and write newsletters.
The Sociology SEPC provides many activities and services. For instance, the SEPC will host a few study breaks throughout the semester for the majors and faculty to socialize in a relaxed and informal setting. Also, these breaks are great times for the majors to discuss any concerns that might have arisen during the semester. The SEPC also organizes meetings with professors so that information on graduate schools, internships, and job opportunities can be shared. In addition, the SEPC discusses with the faculty new events, The SEPC also takes an active role in the evaluation of professors for tenure and profession, as well as prospective faculty.
The SEPC members are:
- Lyn Guinto: Hi there! My name is Lyn Guinto and I’m a fourth-year student studying sociology from Los Angeles, California. My interest in sociology led me to studying social movements, regimes and resistance, and real utopias, centering my studies on how people can influence and change institutions through a variety of strategies. I’ve completed two summer MAPs, one focusing on the participatory culture of Dungeons & Dragons and the other digging into the previously elusive history of the Sociology Department at ƽ. I was incredibly grateful for these opportunities because I was able to grow both personally and professionally as I learned how to conduct different types of research. Outside of sociology, I currently work at the new apothecary in town, co-host a talk show called “The Witching Hour” on the school radio, and in my free time I enjoy cooking, baking, hanging with my cat, and watching shows/movies. I am so excited to be part of the SEPC this semester because I know it can be intimidating to explore different departments or even become acquainted with your own. So please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns regarding the Sociology Department! My email will be available, and I do my best to respond in a timely manner, but you can also come up to me whenever you see me around.
- Luyen Pham: Hello! My name is Luyen Pham (she/her/hers), and I am a fourth-year student double majoring in Biology and Sociology, with a concentration in Neuroscience. I spent the first 12 years of my life in Vietnam, and since then, Wisconsin has become my second home. For me, studying sociology has been like peeling back the layers of an unseen world, revealing the profound impact of social structures and policies on individuals and communities. My sociological interests lie in immigration and healthcare inequities, particularly how these intersect to shape access to resources and well-being among marginalized communities. It is my honor to serve on the Sociology SEPC, and my goal is to ensure that students have access to the support and opportunities they need to thrive, both academically and personally, while celebrating the diversity that enriches our learning environment. Please feel free to reach out to me (phamluye@grinnell.edu) if you have any questions or concerns!
- Sage: My name is Sage, and I'm one of the Sociology Department's SEPC! I am a fourth-year sociology major and education studies concentrator, fascinated by understanding body size at the intersection of the social institutions of medicine and education. To me, sociology gives us the language to name injustice and practice systemic change, and my sociology classes at ƽ have only strengthened that understanding of mine. As an SEPC member, I am committed to continuing to create a major that is sourced in relationality and community. Never hesitate to reach out with any suggestions, questions, or concerns. We want to hear from all our fellow majors!
- Anika: Hello! My name is Anika (she/her) and I am a fourth year from Lancaster, Pennsylvania! I am a Sociology and Psychology double-major! My favorite sociology classes so far have been Global Ethnography with Prof. Escandell and Environmental Health with Prof. Bacon. You may run into me at the ƽ Preschool Lab or Prairie Canary! Never hesitate to reach out with any questions!
- Neva: Hi, I’m Neva (she/her), and I’m from Berkeley, California. I’m a third-year double majoring in sociology and art history, with a particular interest in how the two intersect through protest art. Aside from the SEPC, I also run ƽ’s Sexual Health Information Center, work as a gallery guide in the ƽ Museum of Art, and serve on the executive board for the Union of ƽ Student Dining Workers. In my free time, I love to hike, experiment with new recipes, and go to spoon carving!
- AJ Hurley: Heya! I'm AJ Hurley ('27) and I'm a Sociology & Studio Art major. I'm a big fan of everything weird, spooky, and alternative - which translates academically into a love for the sociology of deviance. Last summer, I had the chance to delve into the complicated history of Dungeons and Dragons (and its subsequent rise in popularity that we see today!) during the MAP "D&D in the Digital Age." I'll be continuing my research on D&D throughout the 2025 Fall semester. I'm honored to be on the Sociology SEPC and want to support you in every way that I can. If you ever want to chat about Sociology, Dungeons & Dragons, alternative subcultures, (or really just anything at all) you're always welcome to say hi if you catch me in the halls!