Practice what you teach: Conerly brings sociology to life
To Dr. Tonja Conerly, sociology is not just a subject but a lens through which students can better understand the complexities of human behavior and the social structures that shape the world.
The San Jacinto College sociology professor believes this information is valuable to people in any industry as most jobs require at least some interpersonal communication, something she knows from experience.
Finding purpose in academia
Conerly was a human resources executive in corporate America before starting her teaching career. The stars aligned when a friend, a Houston Community College department chair, asked her to step in for an adjunct professor who resigned on the first day of the semester.
“I knew I had a new career upon entering that classroom. I felt exhilarated,” Conerly said. “It was a feeling I had never felt before. I continued to adjunct for HCC while working full time until I received a full-time job offer from San Jac in the sociology department.”
Conerly teaches open educational resources courses like introduction to sociology, which uses teaching materials and resources at no cost to students. Her other courses include marriage and family, social problems, and minority studies, all of which require publisher textbooks. Conerly has also included service learning opportunities in several of her classes over the last 10 years.
She has played an important role in Open Books since it started as a pilot program more than a decade ago. She served as the open educational resources director for several years under a grant San Jac received from Achieve the Dream. She continues to assist the College with reducing textbook costs for students as an open educational resources board member. Conerly attends open educational resource events both nationwide and internationally and is a contributing author to Rice University's OpenStax Introduction to Sociology textbook, third edition.
Sociology at San Jac
Starting fall 2024, the College introduced the Associate of Arts in sociology degree.
“The informal definition of sociology is the study of people,” Conerly said. “This degree can be used in any field, not just careers in sociology, because what job doesn’t deal with people. Our courses in this degree plan allow our students to understand and respect the differences of people in our society.”
In these courses, students address topics such as religion, government, family, education, and the economy on the state, national, and global levels.
“This new degree has been aligned with upper-level colleges for easy transferring opportunities to a four-year college,” she said. “It is very easy because our students are partnering with an advisor to assist them in this transition.”
The courses are more than just college credit.
“Our courses help students deal with the parameters of living in our society,” Conerly said. “I believe our goal and responsibility at the College is to make each one of our students a productive member of society, whether they are seeking a certification or degree, and our courses in sociology prepare them that.”
Conerly believes many disciplines could find value in studying sociology, especially those that work more closely with people like criminology and nursing.
Above and beyond the classroom
For 15 years, Conerly has enjoyed the best of both worlds at San Jac as an educator and a leader and is never bored by the range of opportunities her career provides. She wears many hats, including distinguished faculty member, leadership, and administrative roles. She is a member of the common reading committee and the service learning council and represents the College at conferences.
“San Jac is unique because we are so innovative,” Conerly said. “We have led the collegiate world in so many areas with student success, faculty contributions, and development. That is why we have been selected by the Aspen Institute so many times.”
