The faculty in the Sociology Department are dedicated to student success and making an impact in the community. Many are first generation college graduates who understand the challenges that students face in their educational journey. Take a sneak peak at the faculty by clicking on their bio.
Hortencia Jimenez was born in Nayarit Mexico and raised in the agriculture community
of Watsonville CA. Hortencia spent her childhood years working in the fields and learned
the ethic of hard work and perseverance. Hortencia holds a BA, MA, and Ph.D in Sociology
and is proud to be a first generation college graduate from an immigrant background. She
is also a certified Heath Coach providing free workshops in the Latinx community in Monterey
County. Dr. Jimenez is a proud mother of three kids ages 14, 12, and 9. She has a passion
for cooking and loves to share her recipes and undieting educational information @drhortenciajimenez.
For more information about Dr. Jimenez, you can visit her professional website
Megan McDrew has been teaching sociology at Hartnell College since Fall 2016 on campus, remotely and with the Rising Scholars Prison program where she instructs sociology at both CTF Soledad and Salinas Valley Prison. Megan also instructs courses at UC Santa Cruz as well as UC Merced. She works with the Santa Cruz Public Defender's office investigating juvenile defense cases. She is passionate about prison reform and activism and is in the process of creating a Restorative Justice Center at UC Santa Cruz where the mission is to transform oppressive, retributive systems of punishment into ones that are rooted in transformative justice and a healing ethos.
Welcome! My name is Syed Shah and I have been teaching Sociology part-time for Hartnell
College since 2017. I enjoyed working as an instructor and helping students strive
to succeed for a brighter future. Below is my brief intro;
Biography
- Born and raised in Pakistan
- Immigrated to US in 2003
- Multilingual: Urdu, Pashto & English
- Family of 6 which includes my wife, 4 children and myself.
Education
- Master of Arts (MA) Sociology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan (2001)
- Master of Social Work (MSW) California State University, Stanislaus (2008)
Experience
- Worked as a social worker in the field of Child Welfare (2008-2016)
- Working as a social worker for Adult Protective Services (2016-Present)
Hobbies
- Video Production, check out my website
I was raised in Gonzales, CA. My family is from Guanajuato, Mexico- Chupicuaro and Leon.
Because of my parents sacrificios and apoyo, I was able to go to college and pursue my passion for learning and education. I graduated from CSUMB (B.A.) and the University of Utah (Master’s and PhD). I have a ten year old daughter. On my spare time I like to spend time with my family, watch cooking shows and Grey’s Anatomy.
I received my B.A. in Sociology from Washington State University and am currently working on my Ph.D. in Education (with an emphasis in Social and Cultural Studies) from the University of California, Berkeley.
I am the proud daughter of Mexican campesinos (farmworkers). I have many heartfelt memories of my time learning from my parents in the vineyards and orchards, which is a profound experience that has influenced my advocacy within communities. Since I’ve spent the majority of my life in school, my advocacy has been done through educational research. I use research as an opportunity to honors the education and pedagogical approaches of (im)migrant communities.
I enjoy teaching (and learning) sociology because I see how helpful it is to students in understanding the world around them in ways that go beyond individual-blaming narratives. It brings me joy to facilitate discussions and see students engage in a process of understanding (and application) of macro-micro connections through critical and feminist perspectives.