Sociology majors graduate from Whittier College with a wide variety of opportunities before them, including graduate school.
Sociology graduates who enter the professional arena have taken jobs in urban planning, law, medicine, education (K-12), social work, non-profit social services, politics, and government.
Find your own career and internship opportunities in sociology at the Center for Career and Professional Development.
Amanda Cabanilla ’16
Graduate student at University of California, Santa Barbara
Since she was 5 years old, Amanda’s wanted to radically transform the world. After transferring to Whittier, she thrived as a researcher, earning prestigious funding for a major sociology project. Now, she’s continuing her research at UC Santa Barbara, which has been an amazing and thrilling experience for her as she reads, thinks, writes, and produces knowledge about the topics she’s most passionate about in the company of brilliant people.
She’s also seen the difference Whittier made: while many of her peers struggle with workloads, difficult course material, and the demands of research, Amanda is excelling and helping her peers adjust.
She credits where she is today in part to Whittier College Professor of Sociology Becky Overmyer-Valezquez, who recognized her potential for academic research, supported her when challenges arose, and worked tirelessly in and out of the classroom to ensure she was getting the best education she could. Her goal is to one day become a professor—“to be somebody’s Becky.”
“I went into graduate school with my eyes wide open, armed with the wisdom and knowledge given to me by the faculty, staff, and graduate students who supported me the whole through Whittier and who have continued to be warm and compassionate friends when I call or email them in times of both panic and joy.”
Francis Maxwell ’14
Political correspondent for The Young Turks
Francis has been gaining attention for his in-depth political analysis and addressing timely topics at The Young Turks network (TYT).
Dubbed the “biggest news show on the internet,” the online channel claims more than nine million subscribers. He produces his own segments, such as a video taking on political commentator Tomi Lahren that’s gained more than 12,000 views.
The Scotland native’s work can also be found at the Huffington Post.