Sociology Alumna Focuses Career on Social Justice Issues in Education
Annemarie Vaccaro (MA, sociology, and PhD, higher education, '05), assistant professor of human development and family studies at the University of Rhode Island, always strives to practice what she teaches. She and two colleagues recently published Safe Spaces: Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth, a nonfiction work that chronicles the lives of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth, weaving together her research, recent news stories and public policy trends.
"I have been able to infuse my passion for social justice into my academic research agenda. I share my research narratives in journal articles, books and conference presentations in hopes that practitioners will be inspired to create affirming educational environments for people from marginalized groups. Safe Spaces is a perfect example of scholarly work that has the potential to touch the lives of LGBT youth," said Vaccaro.
Vaccaro's career began in higher education student affairs. In 1997 she was ready for a doctoral program that would allow her to focus on not only practicing, but also teaching diversity and social justice – she enrolled in the dual degree PhD program in higher education at DU and added a master's in sociology. "As someone who had an undergraduate background in sociology, I knew that discipline could offer a deep academic view of marginalized populations and solid theoretical grounding. The flexible dual degree program at DU allowed me to intertwine my passions for education and social justice," said Vaccaro. "DU was a place where I was able to grow as a scholar, teacher and professional."
While in Denver, Vaccaro worked closely with faculty and administrators to create the International Living and Learning Community (ILLC). Assistant Professor Roberta Waldbaum was the director of ILLC while Vaccaro was the program's coordinator. "Annemarie was a person of boundless energy and creative intelligence. A woman on the move, she was a wonderful, trusted colleague, and a dynamic teacher who was dedicated to human rights and social justice. It doesn't surprise me that she is continuing along the path of success in higher education," said Waldbaum.
Vaccaro has continued her efforts to foster community and campus-wide engagement at URI and across the country. She was a co-creator and co-facilitator of the inaugural Campus Pride workshop for professionals: in 2011, seven LGBT group advisors from around the country attended a week-long workshop to learn about LGBT identity development and best practices in advising and student leadership. She also serves on the URI President's Commission on the Status of Women, the Equity Council and the LGBT Commission.
In the classroom, Vaccaro strives to design learning environments where students have an opportunity to find and follow their passions to enable them to grow into thoughtful and culturally competent professionals. She teaches graduate courses entitled cultural competence, diversity in higher education, organizational development and more. "It is incredibly rewarding to watch students grow into thoughtful and culturally competent professionals," said Vaccaro.
Click here for more information about Safe Spaces.
