Faculty & Staff
Ms. Penny Alderman:
LECTURER
Classes taught: Courses across the social work curriculum in the areas of Practice/Intervention Skills, Social Agencies, and Field Education.
Degrees: BA, University of Georgia, 1975; MSW, Atlanta University, 1982
- palderma@gru.edu
- Allgood Hall N231
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Dustin Avent-Holt
Assistant Professor
Classes taught: Sociological Theory, Work & Occupations, Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Gender, Political Sociology.
Degrees: BS, Sociology, Georgia State, 2003; MS, Sociology, North Carolina State University, 2005; PhD, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2012
- daventho@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N226
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Daniel Brown
Part time instructor
Classes taught: The Role of Forensic Science in the Criminal Justice System.
Degrees: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), American University of the Caribbean, Coral Gables, Florida; Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Criminal Justice & Biology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
- dbrown42@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N218
- (706) 737-1735
Mr. Robert Bruce
Instructor
Classes taught: Introduction to Sociology
Degrees: Masters in Social Science, Georgia Southern University
- rbruce@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N226
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Kim Davies
Associate Professor & Department Chair
Classes taught: Regularly teach Sociology Methods I and II, Women, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System, Violence and the South, Deviance, and Women's Studies.
Degrees: BA in Sociology 1988 The Ohio State University; BA in Women's Studies 1988 The Ohio State University; MA in Sociology 1990 The Ohio State University; PhD in Sociology 1996 The Ohio State University.
- Curriculum Vitae
- kdavies@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N218
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Allison Foley
Assistant Professor
Classes taught: Deviance, Women, Crime & the Criminal Justice System, and others in the future.
Degrees: BA, Sociology, Oklahoma State University, 2001; Ph.D, Sociology, University of Colorado, 2008
- ajfoley@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N229
- (706) 737-1735
Ms. Stacy Fowler
Professor
Classes taught: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminal Courts, Internships in CJ and Sociology, Domestic Violence, and I sometimes teach a section of American Government. I also teach Business Organizations, Real Estate Transactions, and Wills, Trusts, and Estates offered in the Paralegal Program.
Degrees: J.D. 2002 Samford University; B.A. in Political Science Magna Cum Laude 1999 Jacksonville State University
- sfowler4@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N218
- (706) 737-1735
Ric Goolsby
Professor
Classes taught: Introduction to Criminal Justice
Degrees: BA in Criminal Justice, Augusta State University 2003; JD, Mercer University School of Law, 2006
- Allgood Hall N218
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Dave Hunt
Assistant Professor
Classes taught: Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Education, Sociology of Religion, Social Stratification, Social Problems, Research Methods and Statistics, Sociology of Sport, Sociology of Adolescence, Sociology of Organizations.
Degrees: BS, Sociology, Brigham Young University; MS, Sociology, Brigham Young University; PhD, Sociology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- hdhunt@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N220
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Shirley Huisman
Assistant Professor
Classes taught: Courses across the social work curriculum in the areas of Policy, HBSE, and Practice.
Degrees: BA, Dordt College, 1985; MSW, Syracuse University, 1989; PhD, University of South Carolina, 2004
- shuisman@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N224
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Robert C. Ness
Lecturer
Classes taught: Medical sociology; social problems; race and ethnic relations.
Degrees: MA in Sociology; PhD in Anthroplogy from the University of Connecticut
- rness@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N222
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Melissa Powell-Williams
Professor
Classes taught: Research Methods, Introduction to Sociology, Social Psychology, Gender.
Degrees: PhD, Sociology 2008, Southern Illinois University; MA, Sociology 2005, Southern Illinois University
- mpwilliams@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N221
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Todd Powell-Williams
Assistant Professor
Classes taught: Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, Social Movements, Sociological Theory, & Introduction to Police Science.
Degrees: B.A. Sociology, Kent State University, 1997; M.A. Sociology, Ohio University, 2003; Ph.D. Sociology, Southern Illinois University, 2008
- tpwilliams@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N230
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. William A. Reese
Professor
Classes taught: Social theory, Delinquency, Juvenile Justice, Youth and Society, Criminology, and Introduction to Sociology.
Degrees: B.A. Univ. of Houston (psychology); M.A. Univ. of Houston; Ph.D. U. of Arizona
- wreese@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N225
- (706) 737-1735

Ms. Lisa Smoot
Instructor
Classes taught: Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, Sociology of Family
Degrees: B.A. Augusta State University; M.A. Georgia Southern University
- lsmoot@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N226
- (706) 737-1735
Joyce Tucker
ACADEMIC ADVISOR
I started in the Department of Sociology in 1994 as an Administrative Secretary. I am now the Degree Program Specialist. As such, I advise students on their degree program curriculum, help them prepare for grad school and also assist them in preparing for scholarly meetings. I manage the daily functioning of the Sociology Department.
My purpose is to bring calm to the students' chaotic life, and to make sure that this office is run in a calm and efficient manner. My aim is to continuously inspire our students to do the best that they can, and to encourage them not to give up when things get rough or their goals seem impossible to reach. I let our students know that I understand. I love what I do and therefore try to bring the most positive effect to this department.
- jtucker@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N218
- (706) 737-1735
Dr. Dale White
Assistant Professor
Classes taught: Courses across the social work curriculum in the areas of Practice/Intervention Skills, Social Agencies, Sociology of Death, Grief, and Caring, and Field Education.
Degrees: AA, Anderson College, 1968; AB, University of Georgia, 1970; M. Div., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1973; MSSW, University of Louisville, 1974; Ph.D., The Florida State University, 2001
- swhite27@aug.edu
- Allgood Hall N223
- (706) 737-1735


