The College of Arts and Sciences welcomes Dr. Jennifer Glanville as she takes on the role of head of the Department of Sociology. Her move to Texas A&M University marks a new chapter in her career, as she brings extensive leadership experience aimed at supporting both faculty and students.
"I really liked the college’s approach to leadership,” Glanville said. “I enjoy solving problems and helping people accomplish their goals. Those are the kinds of things that I get to do as department head.”
Glanville received both her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She spent nearly 24 years at the University of Iowa, serving as chair of the sociology department. Now, she looks forward to applying her leadership approach to Texas A&M and working alongside her colleagues to achieve the department’s goals.
“I'm excited about the strong culture of shared governance," she said. “I don't make decisions in a vacuum; I collaborate with others to decide what would be best for the department.”
Looking ahead, Glanville has several plans for the department to provide opportunities for both faculty and students. Among her first priorities is the introduction of a new criminology minor, launching in fall 2025, which will complement the department's existing courses.
“I’m excited to potentially grow our major and serve the interests of our current sociology students,” she said.
Additionally, she hopes to connect alumni and current students through networking or internships.
“I’m trying to figure out more outreach opportunities with former students so that we can learn from their experiences,” Glanville said. “We’d like to increase our submission of external grants as well.”
Glanville is focused on supporting the department’s growing faculty and believes that mentorship is an essential part of helping new professors thrive.
“The department has hired several new faculty members in recent years,” she said. “We want to create opportunities for mentoring younger faculty and position them for greater success, recognition and awards.”
These initiatives align with Glanville’s own research in sociology, which examines social dynamics, extending into areas like social capital and trust.
“Social capital is the social connections that help individuals and communities to accomplish their goals,” Glanville said. “A high level of trust is related to good things like economic development, lower crime rates and easier political transitions.”
Much of her research explores the sources and consequences of social trust, examining how it affects communities and whether trust is innate or shaped by experience.
“In my research, I’ve found that communities where people express higher levels of trust in strangers are also more likely to have higher rates of volunteering,” Glanville said. “I'm currently in the early stages of working on how the shape of social networks influences trust between people in the network.”
Looking ahead, Glanville’s extensive experience in sociology will guide her efforts to further expand student involvement and support faculty. With her goals of mentorship, collaboration and outreach, she is well-positioned to continue shaping the department’s future and making a lasting impact at Texas A&M.
“Before I came, I was hearing a lot of really great things about the new College of Arts and Sciences,” she said. “There was a lot that attracted me about the university. I’ve been very impressed by the department, and I’m excited to continue to work with my colleagues to better the sociology program.”