Applications for Hoggson Award for Excellence in Sociology

Each year the Sociology faculty reviews its senior sociology majors for possible selection for the Hoggson Award for Excellence in Sociology. This award is named in the memory of Robert Hoggson, S.J., who played a major role in founding the Sociology Department at Georgetown University. It is presented at the Tropia Exercises during graduation weekend.

There are two criteria that a student must meet in order to be the recipient of this honor: academic excellence and social concern.

Our operational definition of academic excellence is

(a) a QPI of 3.5 or better in all sociology/anthropology courses taken at Georgetown
(b) a QPI of 3.0 or better in all courses taken at the University. Both QPI's are calculated on the coursework through the fall semester senior year only.

The second criterion, namely social concern, is difficult to operationalize. Our definition of "social concern" is broad and flexible. The criterion itself is intended to recognize and encourage individual student efforts to enhance the well being of the larger social whole to which he or she belongs.

Such efforts can range from helping run parents' weekend, to volunteer tutoring, serving as a student representative, writing for campus publications, organizing political rallies, participating in college athletics and more. These activities do not have to be at Georgetown or be part of an official Georgetown program. If you would like to be considered for the Hoggson Award please submit a letter to me stating your interest in being considered and providing as much detail as you like regarding your extra-curricular activities since coming to Georgetown. These should be activities that will help faculty learn about what you have done and how much you have done that qualifies under the second criteria, namely activities intended to enhance the well being of the larger community.

Please submit your letter by March 26.

Best wishes, sincerely,
William F. McDonald
Undergraduate Program Director