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Immigration Rights and Resources for the Campus Community

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Alumni Updates - Sociology

Joseph E. Torr

Sociology, 1996

Joseph Torralba, Sociology, 1996, recently retired from the Department of Justice-Bureau of Prisons after 22 years. Torralba served previously in Los Angeles and Lompoc, California. and Hazelton, West Virginia.

Carly Velez Huston (Carly Velez-Balay)

SociologySocial Science, 1996

Carly Velez Huston (née Velez-Balay), 1996 Sociology, moved back to her hometown, Sacramento, after graduation and began working for various community non-profit organizations. From 2000 to 2015, Velez Huston worked for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency as a Redevelopment Planner and as a Site Manager for the Public Housing Authority. In November 2015, she started working for the State of California as an Asset Manager for the California Housing Finance Agency. She married an awesome Nebraska boy, Doug Huston, in 2002 and they have one child. She writes, “Our handsome son was born in 2005. I am truly grateful for my HSU education and wonderful friends that I met and continue to be connected with.” Velez Huston lives in College Greens in Sacramento.

Maila L (Felper) Ogden

Sociology, 1992 (Spring)

I have been been working in the social work field for over 20 yrs and I recently changed jobs. I now work as a Hospice Social Worker in Southern California(High Desert). I love the opportunity to be a part of the end of life journey. I have been married for the past 9 yrs and love living in Wrightwood(Angeles National Forest). I also Volunteer for Angeles National Forest Grassy Hollow Visitors Center.

Suzanne Heck (Keck)

SociologySocial Science, 1992

Suzanne Heck (Keck), Sociology, 1992, is married to Dave Heck and they have two children, Zoe and Dylan. They live in San Juan Capistrano in South Orange County. She is still true to her HSU campus recycling roots and is fighting the battle against single-use plastics!

Donny Triplat

SociologySocial Studies, 1992

Currently birthing a native landscape business after 12 years research forestry, 5 years environmental restoration, 5 years arborist work, and 10 years of service in the Food industry catering and working in fine dining restaurants. Blend this all with a passion for personal healing work; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. What has come of this is a project that my wife and I are creating: Truckee River Sanctuary where we grow food, raise poultry, and have built a Kiva to share with our community to build relations amongst people that want to grow and create new ways of living within our decaying social systems of life. It's really a place to connect and grow. I've been busy.

Rob Slaten

Sociology, 1989

Have two boys, Jack and Harry.

Glenn R Strachan

SociologyMaster's Degree, 1983

Glenn Strachan, Sociology, 1983, has been fortunate enough to have traveled to 116 countries while working for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding projects in maternal health and international broadband solutions. Over the past 35-years, Strachan has seen the world and taken photographs everywhere he been, which was inspired by his photography classes at HSU. Now that retirement has arrived, his work has been selected for 12 juried shows thus far in 2019. He is humbled by the selections and is up for a major award in London if he makes the final cut. Strachan says he misses his days at HSU as it was a perfect time to be there doing his graduate studies.

Patrick M Orr

Sociology, 1982

Retired from American Airlines after 34 years of flying. 

Neil L Aaland

SociologyGeography emphasis, 1979

Neil recently retired after 16 years as a sole proprietor environmental/natural resources planner and 25 years in local and state government service in Washington State. After obtaining his B.A. from HSU, he spent a year in Ohio at Bowling Green State University where he received a M.A. in Geography. He has fond memories of his time at HSU and intends to visit in retirement.

Rodney L Merrill

Sociology, 1975

Earned the PhD in Social Science in 2011 at Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.