Carroll College - Helena, MT

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successes

The Sociology Club

The Sociology Club sponsors special events on campus such as service activities on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and various forums on social issues. This club also sponsors major fundraisers to support local charities and institutions dealing with youth, the homeless, and the elderly. Each February the Sociology Club, in conjunction with Campus Ministry and the Student Activities Office, dedicates the month to Social Justice. Many different speakers are invited to Carroll and we also have many different activities for students to participate in regarding social justice issues. The following is a list of activities from previous years:

  • Walsh Lecture Series: “A Lecture on Victims and the Death Penalty” by Bud Welch, father of a woman killed in the Oklahoma City bombing and opponent of the death penalty.
  • “Hate Groups & What You Can Do About Them” Speaker Brian Costigan, of the Montana Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation, spoke about the reaction communities have to hate groups.
  • “Tattoos on the Heart: Working with L.A. Gang Members and At Risk Youth” Guest Speaker Rev. Greg Boyle, S.J., discusses his experiences working with gangs in L.A. and the different programs he has established to help gang members gain employment.

Alpha Kappa Delta

The Sociology Department has been charted as the Delta chapter of Montana of Alpha Kappa Delta, an International Sociology Honor Society to improve the human condition.

Internship Opportunities

There are many internship opportunities available for students. While taking the courses that require community service hours, students will work for organizations such as Helena Food Share, God’s Love-Homeless Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, Montana Youth Homes, and Intermountain Children’s Home. Once students have taken the upper division courses they can become involved in more intense internship experiences such as working at law offices, the Pre-release Center, the Department of Justice, the court system, juvenile probation, and probation & parole programs. It is not unusual for students to turn internships into jobs after graduation.

Pre-release Center

The Pre-release Center in Helena was opened in June 2001. This facility will be a great resource allowing sociology majors to obtain the practical, hands-on experience when interested in the criminal justice program track. Fr. Jerry Lowney served on the commission to establish the pre-release center.

Outcomes

  • Cody Danielson, ’94, is employed as a juvenile probation officer in Reno, NV.
  • Michelle Danielson, ’97, is in medical school at University of Nevada-Reno.
  • Brian Heuiser, ’95, is a successful physical therapist here in Helena.
  • Branden Holt, ’96, is a US Federal Marshall in Salt Lake City.
  • Chris Caron, ’96, is a police officer for the Helena Police Department.
  • Nate Naprstek, ’95, is an occupational therapist.
  • Derek Burnham, ’97, is an Urban Planner in California.
  • Anne Penhepwood, ’97, is working in her Ph.D. in gerontology at Utah State.
  • Mike Sullivan, ’97, is in law school at the University of Montana.
  • Brian Farren, ’96, received his MA from University of Montana in criminal justice and now is working at a Pre-release center.
  • Shawn Nelson is the head women's basketball coach here at Carroll.
  • Eric Schoen, ’00, is employed modeling appropriate behaviors for severely emotionally disturbed children in Helena with AWARE.