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Alumni Career Profiles

Blanca Ramirez

Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA & Tenure Track Assistant Professor at UT-Austin

My name is Blanca Ramirez. I am a first-generation college graduate from Anaheim, CA. At CSUF, I majored in Sociology with a minor in Psychology and graduated in 2016.

I found my intellectual passion in Sociology in Dr. Sharon Kim’s class. When I first enrolled in her class, I did not even know what the field of sociology was but I left the classroom committed to exploring a “sociological imagination.” I was fortunate enough to befriend a Ronald E. McNair Scholar who encouraged me to apply. I became a McNair scholar late into my sophomore year. As a McNair scholar, I conducted an undergraduate research project under the guidance of Dr. Devon Thacker Thomas. Under her guidance, I presented my study at various conferences and published the findings in an academic journal.

During my time at CSUF, I also applied to summer undergraduate research programs and received the opportunity to participate in Princeton’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program. This prepared me well to enter my PhD program in the Sociology Department at the University of Southern California. Upon graduating from my program, I have accepted a postdoctoral fellowship position at the University of California, Los Angeles and a tenure-track position at the University of Texas, Austin.  

Mindy Chang

Assistant Director of Academic Advising, CSUF College of Communications

My name is Mindy Chang, and I graduated from CSUF with a B.A. in Sociology in 2010. Currently I work as the Assistant Director of Academic Advising for CSUF’s College of Communications, and I credit my undergrad studies for helping me find my passion for higher education. Like many first-generation students, my journey through higher education was a confusing and prolonged process. I changed my major frequently, struggling to find a degree that would lead me to the “perfect” career. I stumbled into Sociology while looking for available GE courses, and I immediately felt drawn to it. I loved that Sociology allowed me to be curious about the world, and that it gave me the tools to unpack the human experience. I stopped looking at higher education as a career funnel, and started looking at it as an opportunity to expand my knowledge in human communication and connection. Like many students, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do in life, but I did know I wanted to help people. I realized that the only way I could truly do that is by understanding them, and Sociology was the perfect discipline to get that knowledge.

Something in my mind and my heart clicked when I first started my Sociology of Education course, and I knew this was the path I was meant to walk. I went on to earn my M.A. in Social and Cultural Analysis of Education at CSULB, and afterwards I returned to CSUF to start my career in higher education. Throughout my time here I have worn many hats and have interacted with thousands of students, but in every role, I have found it imperative to have a good understanding of social systems and the people living within them. Sociology has grounded me in remembering that we operate in a society full of intersectionality and imbalance, and this awareness is crucial in creating the positive change I wish to create.

James “JC” Cavitt

Program Director of Project Rebound, CSUF

James "JC" Cavitt is the Program Director at Project Rebound, California State University Fullerton. JC is a CSUF alumni, he earned his B.A. in Sociology, graduating with honors in 2019. JC is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Hope International University, having already earned his master’s degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach.

JC brings his firsthand experience with the criminal justice system and the carceral education system to the higher education space. JC has dedicated much of his career to working within Restorative Justice frameworks, specializing in supporting incarcerated trauma survivors, system-impacted families, and changing the narratives about incarcerated individuals. He is a member of the UnCommon Law Clinical Support Team, where he provides trauma-informed trainings to staff and counseling support to incarcerated individuals. Additionally, JC serves as a facilitator with the Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program in Long Beach, where he leads weekly parenting classes for system-impacted fathers seeking to regain custody of their children.

JC has been recognized for his work and has been featured in numerous publications, articles, podcasts, and media platforms, including a TED Talk with John Legend, TEDx: San Quentin, Now This News and CORE IQ educational training videos. When people experience trauma or severe life stressors, it is not uncommon for their lives to unravel. JC’s greatest passion is to help people, make a difference in the world and help change lives for the better

Yuritzi Cortes

Transportation Execution Manager, Amazon

My name is Yuritzi Cortes and I graduated in 2016 with a major in Sociology and a minor in Political Science. Currently, I live in Luxembourg and am a Transportation Execution Manager for Amazons EU network.

When I entered CSUF, I began as a Political Science major, but I took Introduction to Sociology and fell in love with it. Sociology was broad enough that I could do anything with it, and specific enough to keep my interest. It applied to any situation. And I really identified with a lot of the things we discussed. So, in my freshman year, I switched my major to Sociology.

Though I loved Sociology, I was not quite sure what I’d do with it after graduation. I was working full-time, so could not participate in formal internships. Instead, I participated in the Sociology Honor’s Society (Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD)) as well as in Sociology Club and also volunteered whenever able. Sociology Club gave me the opportunity to network with others about internship opportunities and volunteering. This gave me exposure to different lines of work and helped me narrow down the careers I was interested in as well as the ones I definitely knew were not for me. I took SOCI 307: Using Sociology for Career Success with Drs. Torr and Walsh. They really emphasized the skills sociology offers and the way we can apply them. Ultimately, the way we would approach topics in the classroom, such as through use of scenarios, is the same in everyday life. It’s great practice.

In my work now, sociology is all around me. As the Transportation Execution Manager for Amazon, I engage in a lot of data analysis, problem identification and solving, interpersonal interaction and communication, and community building. Sociology prepared me with the skills necessary for success in this role. For example, I was able to draw on my writing skills from Sociology when I first began at Amazon and worked in the operational side. As I moved up the chain of command, I moved around the United States and then abroad. Now, I run different teams in five different countries and the United Kingdom. I don’t think I would be as adept at doing this or as quick at doing it if I didn’t have my sociology background. A lot of different degrees talk to you about networking and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. But, I think Sociology really helps you embody that intersectionality that is needed. I do it more naturally because in sociology we discuss it, dissect it, and write about it. It becomes second nature. It helps to really connect with people.