New faculty Q&A: Crystal Peoples

Crystal Peoples

The syllabi in sociology professor Crystal Peoples’ classes aren’t always set in stone. 

“My courses are very flexible, where students get to set the pace of our learning and some of the content of our discussions,” said Peoples, who joined Randolph’s faculty this fall. “I have been known to change the syllabus based on what topics students are interested in learning more about. That’s what makes being a professor so fun.” 

Peoples knew she wanted to teach in middle school, but it took her longer to zero in on a subject. 

“I did not know I wanted to teach at the college level until I was in college myself,” she said. “Thankfully, I had a really personable academic advisor who told me about graduate school and encouraged me to pursue my PhD.” 

Originally from the Portsmouth/Chesapeake area, Peoples studied mathematics at Longwood University before earning her MS in sociology from Iowa State University and an MA and PhD in sociology from Duke University. 

How did you first become interested in sociology?

I first became interested in sociology in undergrad when I was taking a general education sociology class. In that class, I learned that our official equation for calculating poverty in the United States was extremely outdated, leading to large numbers of people being ineligible for governmental aid that would otherwise help them. As a budding mathematician, I thought I had found an obvious, simple solution: Someone with formal mathematics training should create a more accurate equation.

After an engaging class discussion on the topic, I quickly learned that society was more complex than I had initially realized! After that, I learned about the field of “mathematical sociology,” where we use formal mathematical logics (like graph theory and advanced statistics) to model societal inequalities, and I never looked back.

Describe your teaching style. What can students expect in your classes?

As a teacher, I am extremely interactive. I ask a lot of questions, and I want to hear my students’ input throughout our time together. I believe we all have important knowledge to share, and I ensure my classes have the space for my students to offer their knowledge and learn from each other. 

What attracted you to the job at Randolph?

There were many things that attracted me to Randolph, but the most important thing to me was the College’s emphasis on faculty-student interactions. I would not be the person I am today if it weren’t for my undergraduate advisor seeing my potential and encouraging me to branch out and explore further research opportunities in higher education. I have always wanted to be able to give that back to my own students, and Randolph is the perfect place to do that.

What classes are you teaching this fall? 

This fall I am teaching two courses that I developed for Randolph students. First, I am teaching Race and Racism in the United States, which explores how racial groups have been socially constructed and changed over time, as well as the social impacts of being racialized into different groups in the nation. 

Second, I am teaching Science, Technology, and Society, which will explore how society shapes science and technology and how society, in turn, is shaped by science and technology. I will also teach a section of Intro to Sociology, where I hope to bring a few more students into the sociology major.

What are your initial impressions of Randolph and its students?

I am so grateful to be at Randolph, in my department, and with our students! The students I have in class so far are very passionate about their causes and have shown me a lot of willingness to participate in classroom discussions. I also offer one assignment in every class where students can creatively show me what they have learned so far, and I can’t wait to see what kind of individuality they will bring to those projects. I hope someone does something with buttons, since the campus traditions here are so exciting.

What do you like to do outside of the classroom as far as hobbies or other activities? 

I really enjoy trying new things, so I often bounce from hobby to hobby. I was really into crocheting for a while, but then I switched to cross-stitching scenes from various movies and TV shows I enjoy. Alien (1979) will always be my favorite movie, but lately I have really enjoyed reality TV like Big Brother. 

Some things never go out of style for me, though. I love board games (the ones that last for four hours, after an hour of learning the rules) and go to a board game convention every January to have fun. I also love watching and playing sports. My student-athletes will also see me at at least one of their games/events every season. We are all here to support each other at Randolph.