Kate McGonigal is an assistant professor of Sociology
at Fort Hays State University. She currently teaches Introduction
to Sociology, Social Deviance, and Social Inequalities. Her degrees
are from the University of Missouri-Columbia (Ph.D., 2004; M.A.
1998) and Drake University in Des Moines (B.A., 1992).
Her areas of specialization are in social deviance and criminology.
While studying at MU, she also taught general sociology courses
for William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. Kate's dissertation
work with John F. Galliher is the subject of a manuscript currently
being reviewed by SUNY Press. Her thesis examining the patterns
of legislative abolition of the Iowa death penalty and the effects
of charismatic governmental leaders on the anti-death penalty
movement, was published as Chapter 9 in America Without the
Death Penalty: States Leading the Way by Galliher et al.
in 2002. During her time at Drake University, Kate served as
President of the Drake Democrats and had the notable experience
of chauffeuring former California Governor Jerry Brown about
Iowa to political rallies and meetings with newspaper editors
during the 1991-1992 presidential campaign season. She also
worked for the United Way of Central Iowa conducting a neighborhood
needs assessment survey. Dr. McGonigal is co-sponsor of the
Sociology
Club.
Kate is from Dexter, Missouri. She is a member of the Stoddard
County Association for Retarded Citizens and her parents, Larry
and Shirley, are both board members for the ARC. Her siblings,
George and Juli, and their families, reside in Arkansas and
Colorado, respectively. Kate brought several friends of the
fish, bird, cat and dog persuasion with her from Columbia, Missouri.
The motto of her house is "Friends don't eat friends."
She is a strong advocate of adopting pets from one's local humane
society or shelter, and a certain large pal, Molly, is proof
of the ability to bond completely with an adopted older dog.
Molly will be happy to mooch for treats if you aren't a believer.
