Before graduation, Dr. Joe Johnston sat down with Ariel Ragona, Sociology Major, Health Equity Minor, to look back at her Gonzaga journey, and look forward to what is next as she moves into the world.
Dr. Joe Johnston: Why did you stick with sociology? Were there times where you doubted it, or considered changing majors?
Ariel Ragona: So I originally started off as a biochemistry major. I started in fall 2020, during COVID, so I was having a hard time adjusting to college. Dealing with moving away and being in a bunch of STEM classes and labs online was a big challenge for me. I had taken a sociology class in high school, and I really liked it. So, I remember during registration time, I talked to my advisor and told her I was considering adding a Sociology major. I still wanted to be pre-health, but I wanted to take courses that resonated with me more deeply and went beyond just science and math. The first class I took was Sociology of Health and Medicine with Dr. Bertotti. I really liked that class, especially because I'm a pre-health student, so I felt like it was very relevant to what I wanted to do in the future. Also, all the readings were very impactful to me, and I just loved the class environment where it was discussion based and everyone could participate. It wasn't like that in any of my science or math classes. I decided to stick with it mainly because of that- because of the awesome people, the class environment, I liked all the course content and readings, and because having a sociological background combined with a STEM background would make me a very well-rounded future health care professional.
Joe: You spoke to this a little bit already, but what specific course/courses, experiences, people, assignments or projects do you want to remember from your sociology major, and why?
Ariel: The first person/class I want to remember is Sociology of Health and Medicine and Dr. Bertotti. I took so many electives with her; I took Environmental Sociology, Sociology of Reproduction, Sociology of Health and Medicine, and Statistics for Social Sciences with her. So, we definitely have a good relationship. She's been my advisor for the last year after Dr. Gow left, so I want to remember her; she's given me a lot of direction and inspired me to go into medical sociology, if I change my mind about a career in health care. I also want to remember Dr. Gow, because she was my original advisor for three years and I took Sociology of Race and Ethnicity with her. That class was really life changing for me and shifted my ways of thinking. I also want to remember Joe Johnston and his Sociology of Education class. And just in general, all the community engagement that I've gotten to do through all these classes, like Walking School Bus, community organizing with Dr. Manriquez, and interning at the International Rescue Committee.
Joe: So speaking of that next question, what are you hoping to do in your post Gonzaga life? And how do you think sociology will connect to those hopes?
Ariel: Yeah, so I'm still deciding exactly what I want to do. I know that I want to go to grad school, it's just about deciding what I want to do specifically. Throughout the past four years, I've been pre-health and have worked at the hospital as a physical therapy aide. I really liked that experience, and am leaning towards applying to grad school for my DPT. However, I've also thought about going to grad school for sociology and going in that direction and doing research, specifically medical sociology. I wish I could do both.
Joe: Sounds great. What else would you like to share, if anything?
Ariel: I've just had an awesome experience in the program. I'm very lucky to have been a part of it and to have the privilege of engaging with everyone in the department. Sociology has instilled a sociological imagination in me, forever changing the ways I view my personal issues, as well as broader sociological issues. As I graduate, I will keep this framework with me into my future career. I think everyone should take sociology classes.