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Education

• Ph.D., Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• M.A., Communication, University of Ilinois at Urbana-Champaign
• B.A., Communication, with a minor in Women's Studies, Loyola University-Chicago, magna cum laude
• Language and culture study, Loyola University Rome Center, Rome, Italy

​Fields Of Study

• Gender, race/ethnicity
• Family
• Inequality and social class
• Consumerism
• Popular culture

​Courses Taught

• Introductory Sociology (SOC 203)
• Social Problems (SOC 304)
• Minority Relations (SOC 325)
• Sociology of the Family (SOC 350)
• Sociology of Men and Women (SOC 365)
• Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll (SOC 400)
• Careers in Sociology (SOC 400)
• Sociology of Disney (SOC 400)
• Sociology of College (SOC 400)
• Sociology of Latin America (Costa Rica) (SOC 400)
• Sociological Theory (SOC 450)

​Selected Publications, Awards, and Service

• Excellence in Service to Students Award
• Excellence Award in Teaching
• Professor of the Month
• Ally of the Year
• Dissertation: "Crafting Culture: Scrapbooking and the Lives of Women"
• Outstanding Club Advisor Award
• Tim Shakespeare Staff Award
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship
• Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology Honor Society)
• Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
• Lambda Pi Eta (Communication Honor Society)
• Served on the committee for the Jacksonville Community Council Incorporated's Race Relations Progress Report.
• Downs, Heather. 2008. "Race-Blind Policies," Encyclopedia of Social Problems. Edited by V. Parrillo. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Stevens, Gillian and Heather Downs. 2006. "Diversity," Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology. Edited by G. Ritzer. Cambridge: Blackwell.