Hartwick’s Sociology Department Wins International Honors

For the first time in the 28 years since Hartwick College’s Department of Sociology, Criminology and Human Services joined Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), the International Honor Society of Sociology has selected it to receive the Chapter of the Year Award.

The Hartwick chapter, Alpha Sigma of New York, was founded in 1995. Elena Chernyak, associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Human Services, took over as chapter representative in 2018.

"We’ve started doing more that aligns with AKD’s mission, such as getting students involved in our research and attending academic conferences. We’re also organizing various departmental and college-wide events like the Hardy Chair Lectures."

Elena Chernyak

Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Human Services

Chernyak credits the department’s spring regional symposium, The (up)Roaring 2020s: Sociology’s Responsibility in Addressing Social Problems, as the reason for the award.

“AKD encouraged and supported the conference,” she said. “It was a success, and I believe AKD acknowledged that by giving us this award.”

AKD also provided travel grants for Grace-Ann (Lia) Porpeglia ’22 and Mickaela Gulla ’23 to attend the Eastern Sociological Society annual meeting in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

AKD was founded in 1920 at the University of Southern California. Today, there are more than 145,000 members in Alpha Kappa Delta and over 700 chapters. The organization seeks “to promote human welfare through scientific inquiry to apply for solving social problems.”

The award will be presented to Hartwick College at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in Philadelphia in August.

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