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Social Sciences

Title Image
Many books textured background, top view. Multicolored books

Department Chair

George Maniates

Contact Information

Office Phone

Main: 231-777-0380

Campus Email

Tamera.Owens@muskegoncc.edu

Office Location:

2012

Office Hours

M-Thu: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Overview of Social Sciences

The Social Science Department help students understand human behavior, societal structures, and cultural dynamics, fostering critical thinking and a deeper appreciation of the world.

This department offers diverse courses in anthropology, education, geography, history, political science, psychology, sociology, and women and gender studies.

Tab 1

Craig Brown Diversity Wall

Craig Brown moved from St. Louis to Muskegon in 1992 to teach psychology at Muskegon Community College. He soon became an untiring voice in the quest for diversity, understanding, and communication at the college and in the community. After Craig’s death in 2007, to honor and continue his work, the Social Science Department decided to develop a “Diversity Wall” as a learning tool for passersby. The Wall features persons of varied ethnic, cultural, and racial backgrounds who have advanced the cause of diversity, justice, and freedom in our country and around the world.


The Craig Brown Diversity Wall is in the corridor between Rooms 242 and 244 of the Main Building. On March 23, 2011, MCC held a formal public dedication the Diversity Wall, featuring student artist, Aryan Johnson’s portrait of Craig Brown.

The Wall currently features posters of Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Harriet Tubman, Rachel Carson, Isabel Allende, Mahatma Gandhi, Desmond Tutu, Sherman Alexie, Mother Teresa, Sojourner Truth, and Cesar Chavez.

Suggestions or donations for the Diversity Wall are welcome, but they need to be submitted for approval to the Diversity Wall Committee of the Social Sciences Department. For more information, please call 231-777-0380.

Moments in Labor History Wall

The Moments in Labor History Wall is a series of pictures and narratives that explain 48 significant episodes in U.S. labor history. Donated by the Muskegon United Labor Participation Committee, the Labor Moments wall represents an important memorial to past achievements and to tragic events in the American workers’ struggle for justice and equality.


The Labor Moments wall is also an important teaching tool for classes in the social sciences, the humanities, and the arts. Students, teachers, instructors and members of the public may freely examine the wall and read about the struggle for the 8-hour day, the founding of the first union for women in the textile industry, the founding of the American Federation of Labor, the Ludlow Massacre of miners and their families, the passage of the Wagner Act, and the breaking of the Air Traffic Controllers strike in 1981.


As MCC History Instructor George Maniates notes, “Someone died and someone bled so that you can enjoy a lunch break.”

Administered in the Social Sciences Department, Moments in Labor History will be a permanent and evolving part of enriching and enlightening educational opportunities at Muskegon Community College.


Sociologist Nicholas Budimir would be happy to give a guided talk on the wall and answer any questions. This is part of MCC’s lasting commitment to preserving the labor legacy of the region. For more information please contact: Nicholas Budimir, (231) 777-0620 or at nicholas.budimir@muskegoncc.edu

Moments in Labor History Wall Plaques
Year Subject
—Work Day
1741 First Work Stoppage
1790 First Water Powered Mill
1794 Unions Are Born
1828 First Strike by Women
1842 First Child Labor Law
1852 The Oldest Surviving Trade Union in the US
1863 Working Women Union
1868 The 8 Hour Day
1869 Important Early Union
1869 Colored National Labor Union
1877 America’s First Nationwide Strike
1877 The Great Railroad Strike
1882 Labor Day Parades
1886 Haymarket
1886 The Bay View Massacre
1886 AF of L Founded
1892 Frisco Mill Dynamited
1898 The Virden Massacre
1900 Ladies Garment Workers
1903 The Children’s Crusade
1905 Wooblies
1906 Pioneer Sit-Down Strike
1912 The Grey Bow Riot
1914 ‘Ludlow’ Massacre
1914 $5 a Day
1916 Everett Massacre
1919 Boston Police Strike
1922 The Great Railroad Strike
1927 Columbine Mine Massacre
1927 LHWCA Passed
1932 Ford Hunger March
1934 The Great Uprising of 34
1934 Battle of Toledo
1935 Wagner Act
1936 Flint Sit-Down Strike
1936 Anti-Strike Breaker Act
1937 Battle of The Overpass
1937 Memorial Day Massacre
1938 $0.25 an hour Minimum Wage
1955 AFL and CIO Merge
1959 US Steel on Strike
1963 Equal Pay for Equal
1967 Age Discrimination
1970 First Post Office Strike
1975 1,000 Mile March
1981 Air Traffic Controller Strike
Tab 3

Areas of Study

Anthropology
Geography
History
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Women and Gender Studies
Education

Faculty & Staff

Nicholas Budimir
Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Hometown: Dearborn, Michigan
  • Professional Experience: In addition to teaching at Muskegon Community College, professor Budimir has taught sociology at Ferris State University and Western Michigan University while working on his graduate degree. As an active leader in the Michigan Sociological Association since 2006, Budimir organizes conferences, speakers and panels. Professor Budimir’s specialties in sociology include economic sociology, the intersection of class, race, and gender, the sociology of education, and the sociology of labor.
  • Academic Degrees: A.B.D Sociology PhD- Western Michigan University, M.A. Industrial Relations- Wayne State University, B.A. History and Anthropology- University of Michigan
  • Classes Taught: Professor Budimir teaches a wide range of classes at MCC: SOC-101: Principles of Sociology; SOC-102A: Race Ethnicity and Immigration; SOC-202A: Modern Social Problems; SOC-205: Marriage and the Family; HIST/PSCI-220: Labor Studies, ,

MORE ABOUT ME

  • Languages pursued: Russian, Serbo-Croatian, and French
  • Favorite thinkers: Karl Marx, Leon Trotsky, Pierre Bourdieu, and Slavoj Zizek
  • I love teaching at Muskegon Community College because the small class sizes allow students and instructors to talk.
  • I became interested in the topics of capitalism, injustice, and exploitation initially from my family members who immigrated to the United States from the Balkans. They were in search of work and fleeing from ethnic persecution. They brought with them a deep love and respect for history, a suspicion of the powerful, esteem for intellect and a yearning for justice. Maybe a little of that Eastern European radicalism rubbed off!?
Diana Casey
Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Academic Degrees: BA Western Michigan University, MS Eastern Michigan University,
  • Classes Taught: GEOG-101A Physical Geography GEOG-215 Introduction to Weather and Climate, GEOG-214 Science of Climate Change

MORE ABOUT ME

  • Favorite Movie – Mary Poppins
  • Inspirational Teacher – Ralph Babcock who told me I learned differently and it was ok.
Jennifer Jones
Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Hometown: Muskegon, MI
  • Professional Experience: I have over 25 years of experience in education ranging from infant care to higher education. I have been committed to the college level for the past 19 years.
  • Academic Degrees: Masters of Education M. Ed. Grand Valley State University, Bachelors of Business Leadership BBL Baker College,
  • Classes Taught: If the course starts with ED I probably teach it. Classes include Children’s Literature, Human Growth and Development, Parent Child Connection, Observation and Assessment, Child Development, all fieldwork Practicums and the CDA Capstone course, I teach both online, hybrid and face to face.

MORE ABOUT ME

  • I am a product of the educational system at MCC under Harry Robinson.
  • Traveling is my passion and I love visit Europe each spring.
  • My life is full with three grown boys, their families, and beautiful grandchildren.
  • If I am not teaching, you can find me near the beach and enjoying the outdoors in Western Michigan.
  • My blood runs blue and I am a huge U of M fan! Please no green and white in my classes
  • Currently I am teaching remotely from my home office. Although it is a change of delivery methods it is an exciting change.
George Maniates
Faculty - Department Chair

MY BACKGROUND

  • Hometown: Chicago, IL
  • Professional Experience: 28 years of Higher Education administrative experience at six different colleges and universities. I have been a Dean of Students, a Dean of Enrollment Management and an Associate Vice President of Student Service. This is my 13th year of teaching history
  • Academic Degrees: Bachelors of Art- University of Wisconsin-Madison in History and Political Science, MA- DePaul University in History, ABD- Colorado State University in Community College Leadership
  • Classes Taught: HIST 101- Western Civilization to 1500, HIST 102- Western Civilization from 1500 to Present, HIST 150- World History to 1500 CE, HIST 151- World History from 1500 CE, HIST 202- United States from Reconstruction to present, HIST 212B- Gettysburg Battlefields, HIST 214- Siege of Vicksburg, HIST 216- Intro to World War II

MORE ABOUT ME

  • I love to ride a Rans recumbent bicycle
  • I volunteer at the USS SIlversides Submarine Museum
  • Both Professor Troutman and I do a series of “experiential learning” courses- See HIST 212A, HIST 214 and HIST 216
  • I ran for State Assembly in Wisconsin in 1980 as a 30 year old.
Evin Rodkey, Ph.D.
Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Professional Experience: Evin came to MCC in 2018 after three years at Casper College in central Wyoming, which followed earning a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and teaching widely as an adjunct instructor at a variety of institutions in Chicago. For his dissertation work Evin conducted research in the Dominican Republic with people deported there from the U.S., examining their survival strategies and transnational connections with the U.S. economy. Evin got his start in anthropology after a number of travel experiences and living in Madison, Wisconsin, where he worked as a coordinator of services for adults with developmental disabilities and first took classes in the subject part-time. This was a few years after earning a B.A. in Psychology from Indiana University, in the state where he was born, living in Los Angeles where he worked as an Assistant Director in an educational center for children, and living temporarily in Seoul, South Korea working as an English teacher. Evin is a former President of the Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges, has published on his research, presented publicly on a wide variety of topics, and has led student trips both in the U.S. and to Belize. What he values most about his job is working directly with students in areas of examining cultural perspective and humanity’s place in nature, engaging with material intellectually yet practically, and helping students with skills in writing and clear and accurate expression.
  • Academic Degrees: Ph.D. Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago, M.A. Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago, B.A. Psychology, Indiana University
  • Classes Taught: ANTH 103 – Cultural Diversity in Contemporary Society, ANTH 105D – Introduction to Physical Anthropology/Archaeology, ANTH 110 – Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Angela Spaniolo-DePouw, Ed.D.
Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Hometown: North Muskegon, MI
  • High School: Reeths-Puffer High School – Muskegon, MI
  • Professional Experience: I am a state and nationally certified school and educational psychologist. Prior to teaching full-time for MCC, I was a district psychologist for Spring Lake Public Schools, Orchard View Public Schools, and Holland Public Schools. In addition, I was a consulting psychologist for many other districts in both Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa counties specializing in special needs and gifted populations.
  • Academic Degrees: Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) – Eastern Michigan University, Specialist Degree in Psychological Services (SPsy) – Central Michigan University, Masters of Psychology (MA) – Central Michigan University
  • Classes Taught: General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Abnormal Psychology of Children and Adolescence, Applied Psychology, and Educational Psychology

MORE ABOUT ME

  • Favorite Inspirational Quote by Maya Angelou – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.”
  • Favorite Motivational Quote – “Never take a ‘NO’ from someone who never had the authority to give you a ‘YES’ in the first place.”
  • I love to travel with family and friends.
  • I have a passion for reading, especially non-fiction books that are psychological in nature.
  • I became interested in the area of psychology while taking some amazing psychology courses at both MCC and CMU. My passion for the discipline has driven me to obtain my doctorate and extend my own research into the area of gifted children and adolescence.
  • Favorite Book – “Gone With the Wind”/Favorite Movie – “Goodbye Girl”
Laurel Abraham
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSCI-111
Janice Alexander
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSYC-102
Rudy Bartels
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: GEOG-214, GEOG-215
Jon Brosseit
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: HIST-201, HIST-202, HIST-211
Stephanie Brown
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: SOC-101
Tonya Clevenger

Dan Collison
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSYC-201, PSYC-207, PSYC-210
Ashley Constantine
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSYC-201
Kerry Fretty
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSYC-201
Michael Gutowsky
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: GEOG-104, GEOG-105
Michelle Johnson
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: SOC-101, SOC-102A, SOC-203
Joel Juen
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: HIST-150, HIST-151, HIST-201, HIST-202
Timothy Kratt
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: ANTH-103
Robert Kumpf
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSCI-111, PSCI-202
Ryan Lancaster
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: HIST-201, HIST-202
Jarek Marsh-Prelesnik
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: ANTH-103, ANTH-105D
Ashley Nederveld
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSYC-201
Bre'Onna Sanders
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: SOC-101
Stephanie Sicard
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: ANTH-103
Deb Spoors
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSYC-201
David Takitaki
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: PSCI-111, PSCI-202, PSCI-211
Steve Vitto
Adjunct Faculty

Samantha Warber
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: HIST-101, HIST-102, HIST-150, HIST-151, HIST-201, HIST-202
Peter Warnock
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: ANTH-103, ANTH-105D
Andy Wible
Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Hometown: North Manchester, IN
  • Professional Experience: Editor of two books: Golf and Philosophy and Queer Philosophy. Numerous other publications
  • Academic Degrees: BA in Philosophy at Hanover College, MA in Philosophy at Ohio University, PhD in Philosophy at Wayne State
  • Classes Taught: Biomedical Ethics, Business Ethics, Introduction to Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, Logic, LGBTQ Studies

MORE ABOUT ME

  • Loves to play golf
  • Trying to learn guitar
  • Fulbright summer trip to Southern Africa
  • Likes to travel.
Sarah Woycehoski
Adjunct Faculty

MY BACKGROUND

  • Classes Taught: HIST-201, HIST-202
Eli Fox
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