The Political Sociology class (SOC333) with Dr. Richard Sullivan, was acknowledged by the Provost's office with the Excellence in Civic Engagement Award for a group project designed to increase student power in the local community. Last fall the class conducted voter registration drives, working with the McLean County Clerk's Office.

Joan Brehm, Assistant Professor of sociology is the co-PI with colleagues from SIU-Carbondale on a $575,000 grant titled: "Using Participatory Research and Innovative Outreach Tools to Assess and Communicate Water Resources Impairment, Community Capacity and Risk for Future Problems in Watersheds along an Urban-Rural Interface in Southern Illinois".

Distinguished Professor Charles Orser has published his 9th single authored book titled The Archaeology of Race and Racialization in Historic America.

Professor Kathleen McKinney, The Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, has published Enhancing Learning Through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: The Challenges and Joys of Juggling.

The Anthropology undergraduate program had two 2007 undergraduate anthropology graduates admitted to PHD anthropology programs. Historical Archaeology had one 2005 graduate that will begin a Ph.D. program in history at the University of Chicago in Fall 2007.

Sociology had one graduate currently in the PhD program in sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, and one who is starting the PhD program in history at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign this fall. A third student was accepted to two top Ph.D. programs in sociology (with funding), and will be attending the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The Anthropologists conducted two successful archaeological field schools this year with Dr. Jim Skibo in Grand Island Michigan and Dr. Chuck Orser in Ireland.

The following projects were from graduate students in the Stevenson Center:

Jeff Ahlberg, Kankakee Community College (marketing, program development): His projects have included assisting the Kankakee River Valley Community Foundation with its Grand Victoria Foundation Communityworks initiative and overseeing resource development for the Kankakee County Renewed Opportunity Program for prisoner reentry.

Bunmi Akinnusotu, AmeriCorps Member at Family Shelter Service (Chicago) (marketing, managing volunteers, fundraising): She has worked with members of the faith community and civic organizations to address the issue of domestic abuse.

Nicole Kurtain, AmeriCorps Member at Student Volunteer Center (ISU) (managing and recruiting volunteers, planning and facilitating events): She has provided volunteer opportunities to ISU students, faculty, and staff; built relationships with community agencies; and created a weekly listserv to help keep students and community members informed.

Jill Neumann, AmeriCorps Member at Southeast Chicago Development Commission (program development, managing and recruiting volunteers): She has supported the Local Initiatives Support Corporation's New Communities Program, including providing leadership for a literacy project at the New Sullivan School and building community through the arts with monthly Art Attack events.

Historical Archaeology: Two students who had internships as professional practice (ANT 498). One was placed at the McLean County Museum of History and one was with the Illinois Regional Archive Depository.