Dr. Alan Grigsby
Alan Grigsby ’10, ’12M, an alumnus of the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University, is now Assistant Professor of Sociology at Curry College in Milton, Mass.
Grigsby’s work focuses on race relations and racial inequality. Specifically, he is interested in how social interactions operate in different neighborhood settings based on factors such as the racial composition of those places. He says that his commitment to diversity and racial equality as a professional sociologist and his Ohio experience are inseparable.
Grigsby earned a B.A. in Sociology-Criminology in 2010, followed by an M.A. in Sociology. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Cincinnati in 2018.
His OHIO Experience
“There were occasions when I was the only student of color in my class, which at times felt isolating,” he reflects. “And times when I heard comments from people in dorms or walking on the street that made me feel less welcome. College is hard enough for every student and racial anxieties are not something students of color want, but too often receive.”
Grigsby said his Ohio experience also exposed him to professors and classes that helped, guided, and supported him and others.
Spaces like the Multicultural Center, the African-American Studies Department, and especially his home department of Sociology offered respite from and training for handling racism. Grigsby remembers thinking critically about the causes and consequences of racial inequality as an undergraduate. This propelled him to continue studying sociology after graduating from college.
He said working with Professors like Thomas Vander Ven, Professor of Sociology, and Akil Houston, Associate Professor of Cultural and Media Studies, inspired him to ultimately pursue a Ph.D. and to become a college professor.
Grigsby currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with his fiancée and their two dogs.
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