Department of Sociology and Social Work

Faculty

Full-time Faculty

Professor Kelly Nelson-Wright

Department Chair
714.992.7535
Office: 1425-03
knelsonwright@fullcoll.edu

Kelly Nelson-Wright currently serves as Fullerton College Sociology Department Chair, as the Social Science Division Curriculum Committee Representative, and as a member of the Fullerton College Honors Advisory Council. Her career in academia has focused on various gender and family issues, including undergraduate and graduate-level research at California State University, Fullerton on the effects of battering and “social breakdown syndrome.” Her Master’s thesis was nominated for the “Giles T. Brown Outstanding Thesis Award.”

Throughout her teaching career, Kelly Nelson-Wright has emphasized the intersectionality between gender, sexuality, race, and socioeconomic status, and she has developed curriculum analyzing a variety of social issues and structures, including courses in the “Sociology of Gender,” “Sociology of Race and Ethnicity,” and “Sociology of Religion.” Most recently, she developed a new course entitled, “Introduction to LGBTQ Studies,” as well as a new Associate Degree for Transfer in Social Justice Studies, focusing on gender and sexuality She continues to bring attention to women’s issues through her involvement with campus events such as the annual “Women’s Forum,” and “Clothesline Project.” Kelly Nelson-Wright has been nominated several times for Fullerton College “Teacher of the Year,” and was recently selected as “Most Outstanding Faculty Member” by EOPS.

Professor Mohammad Abdel Haq

714.992-7540
Office: 1423-01
mabdelhaq@fullcoll.edu

Mohammad Abdel Haq joined Fullerton College’s Sociology Department in 2014. At the age of sixteen, he was awarded the Pacem in Terris Scholarship to La Roche College in Pittsburgh, PA, where he received a B.S. in Administration and Management and a minor in Finance. He was awarded his M.A. in Sociology from California State University, Fullerton in 2013. His pedagogical approach and passion for sociology revolve around being a catalyst in creating an egalitarian society that promotes equality, freedom and justice through the development of critical consciousness. His receipt of the Carlene Nelson Scholarship in Sociology, and the Honorable Mention by the Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral program, are recognitions of his strong dedication to higher education.

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 Professor Abdel Haq firmly believes that developing a broader sociological perspective is a necessary tool for all students; an essential tenet of citizenship and democracy is being an informed participant in the decision-making process within an individual’s community. His research interests lie in sociology of religion, racial and ethnic relations, and sociology of education, criminology, and deviance.

 

DEGREES

2013, M.A., Sociology, California State University, Fullerton

2003, B.S., Administration and Management, La Roche College

SCHOLARLY WORK

Fazzino, Lori L., Borer, Michael, Ian, and Abdel Haq, Mohammad.  “The New Moral Entrepeneurs:  Athiest Activism and Performed Political DEviance.”  In The Death and Resurrection of Deviance, edited by M. Dellwing, J.A. Kotarba, and N. Pino.  New York:  Palgrave MacMillan.

Thesis:  “The Collective Consciousness of Atheism: How do Atheists’ Social and Political Frameworks Differ from Protestants in the United States?” – California State University, Fullerton, CA

Professor Angie Andrus

Office: 1423-04
714.992-7532
Website: http://staffwww.fullcoll.edu/aandrus
Email: aandrus@fullcoll.edu

Angie Andrus has been teaching Sociology for over 20 years at Fullerton College and also taught at Chaffey College for five years. She has been a part of the Fullerton College campus for over 30 years, starting out in EOPS as a student, and then as a paraprofessional for almost ten years working with students, She has a strong base in student support services. She earned her A.A. from Fullerton College and her B.A. and M.A. from California State University, Fullerton. She has a passion for the human-animal bond and this was the focus of her thesis. She teaches Introductory Sociology, Marriage & Family, Sociology of Aging, Sociology of Women, and Death & Dying. She also serves as the Sociology Club Advisor, as well as on the Scholarship Committee. Professor Andrus has also been awarded as a Teacher of The Year finalist, Club Advisor of the Year, and Most Outstanding Faculty Member from EOPS. Professor Andrus brings a great deal of enthusiasm to the classroom and her vision of teaching includes a “learn it, live it, love it” approach.

Professor Sergio Banda

Office: 1425-03
714.992.7533
Email: sbanda@fullcoll.edu

Sergio Banda has a strong connection to Fullerton College dating back to his first year of college where he enrolled in his first sociology course.  He went on to earn a B.A. and M.A. in sociology with an emphasis on research at California State University, Fullerton.  During his graduate program, he worked for a non-profit research center where he participated in various studies including a state-wide adoption/foster care study of Latino families.

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After completing his education, Sergio Banda worked full-time with developmentally delayed children before focusing on teaching.  Academically, Sergio Banda’s interests cover the entire spectrum of social issues but his emphasis has been in the field of Criminology.  Throughout his tenure at Fullerton College, Sergio Banda has been active mentoring students in programs such as the “Puente Program” as well as serving on various committees such as Distance Education steering committee. 

Professor Giselle Blanche
(Professor Emeritus)

Office: 1423-03
714.992-7534
Email: gblanche@fullcoll.edu

Giselle “Gigi” Blanche attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where her bachelor’s degree prepared her to teach high school mathematics.  Gigi received her master’s degree in sociology (with an emphasis in statistical research) from California State University Fullerton, where her thesis (“Protestant Fundamentalists and Sex Role Attitudes:  1977 – 1993”) received the Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award from the Sociology Department.

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Gigi has been a presenter multiple times at Pacific Sociological Association’s meetings and she also presented at a meeting of the American Sociological Association.  Since 1996, Gigi has taught full-time at Fullerton College.  She has taught Introduction to Sociology, Marriage and Family, Sociology of Women, Social Problems, and recently she has been focused on creating and teaching the courses Introduction to Probability & Statistics and Research Methods.

In addition to teaching, Gigi has been involved in many programs at Fullerton College.  For example, Gigi was a co-creator of a Teaching Internship Program (with a Partnership for Excellence Grant), she received a stipend to create a service learning course, has been a co-advisor of the Sociology Club, and has spent many years as a senator on the Faculty Senate.  Currently, in addition to being a senator at FC, she is also a member of several campus committees (including FC’s Institutional Review Board), and Gigi is also a member of the district’s Enrollment Management Committee.