Amanda Lubold Teaches Sociology at Indiana State

Deciding what graduate school to attend or what job you want to pursue after college is a difficult decision for most students. Amanda Lubold ’06, a double major in sociology and biochemistry & molecular biology, has found a way to combine her love for both of her majors into a career. 

Lubold is an assistant professor of sociology at Indiana State University, where she utilizes an interdisciplinary nature of connecting sociology and public health. As part of the university’s multidisciplinary studies program, she puts her biochemistry background to good use, too.

“I loved sociology and biochemistry, especially at LVC, said Lubold, who thought she would be a high school chemistry teacher. “I had phenomenal mentors in both programs, including the late Dr. [Carl] Wigal in chemistry and Dr. [Owen] Moe and Dr. [Wally] Patton in biochemistry, along with Dr. [Carolyn] Hanes and Dr. [Sharon] Arnold in sociology. 

“I found that while I enjoyed chemistry, I wanted my work to focus more on people. Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson has a great quote where he says, ‘In science, when human behavior enters the equation, things go nonlinear. That’s why Physics is easy and Sociology is hard.’ I love working with the variety and diversity of the social world, and the challenges that go with the research,” she said.

After discovering the variety of material that sociology offers, Lubold chose to pursue her doctorate at the University of Arizona. She said the university is known for its statistics and methods, and their sociology program is ranked in the top 20 in the country.

As a professor now, she loves teaching others about her field and can’t imagine having any other career. She enjoys working with the diverse students at Indiana State that come from all different backgrounds.

“Our students are phenomenal,” said Lubold. “Most students haven’t heard of sociology per se, but they certainly understand the major concepts behind how broader social forces shape our lives.”

Lubold recently renewed her Valley connection when she attended the Eastern Sociological Association’s annual conference and visited with her former professor, Dr. Arnold. Lubold presented research on women’s labor force participation with her co-author, Laureen O’Brien.

“Presenting was great,” said Lubold. “Especially because I was able to see Professor Arnold, which was such a cool thing to go back and connect after I had received a Ph.D. and am just starting my career.”

Lubold is very thankful for all of the experiences she had as a student at The Valley. 

“I think one of the best things of a liberal arts education is the ability to gain a well-rounded understanding of our world,” said Lubold. “I also appreciated the ability to work closely with professors and build a sense of community. I try to emulate those experiences in my own classes.”