PhD in Sociology

Melissa Gouge, 2018

Melissa Gouge is currently working in the Office of Research and Evaluation at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the agency responsible for the AmeriCorps and Senior Corps national service programs.

In her role as a research analyst, she's utilizing sociological theory and research methods to understand and evaluate national and community service programs. This means collaborating with other researchers and program support staff to develop tools for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data to increase our knowledge of the impact volunteerism has on communities across the U.S. She’s also applying participatory research skills learned in our doctoral program in her work with grantees employing these methods to understand and develop action plans that will improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement. 

She's a part time lecturer at Montgomery College teaching Introduction to Sociology and Social Problems in the Renaissance Scholars honors program. In her efforts to maintain service to the discipline, she also reviews articles for several sociological journals. As a recent graduate, she is in the process of writing a book proposal arising from her dissertation, “Generating Solidarity: Emotions and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers”. This year, she can be found presenting at the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Association for Humanist Sociologists, and the Peace and Justice Studies Association conferences with several of her colleagues from our doctoral program and at many DC organizing activities.