Getting to know David Merolla

David Merolla received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Sociology from Kent State University. He is the recipient of the Wayne State University President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, serves on the Humanities Center Advisory Board and is ad hoc reviewer for several prominent journals. His research specialties include race, sociology of education, social psychology and quantitative methods.

The professor

Tell us about your research.

I am currently working on a research project investigating racial disparities in college completion among U.S. students.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I use the teacher-scholar model in my teaching endeavors. The teacher-scholar model bases course content in contemporary research and views teaching as a part of scholarship.

What advice would you give to students pursuing a career/degree in sociology?

Keep an open mind about your potential career options and think creatively about the skills you have obtained. Many majors can provide you with marketable skills such as writing, data analysis and the ability to understand and synthesize evidence. However, what sociology adds to these skills is the ability to look beyond the individual and see the impact that social forces have on individual outcomes and behaviors.

What is your favorite class to teach and why?

I enjoy teaching the Ph.D. level statistics course because I always learn a lot from my students.

The person

When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you pass the time?

Crossword puzzles.

What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?

Summertime by Miles Davis, Body and Soul by John Coltrane and Everything Happens to Me by Thelonious Monk.

When not teaching, what do you like to do in Detroit?

Shopping at the Eastern Market and scouting new vegetarian-friendly restaurants.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job, and best moment as a professor?

Best moment—winning the 2013-2014 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The most fulfilling part of my job is advising graduate students and seeing them grow as scholars.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?

Jeffrey Beaumont.

What is your favorite book?

Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

Tom Waits.

If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?

The Cleveland Browns in the Superbowl.