Making an Impact: James F. Short Professorship in Sociology

Established by a former student through an estate gift, the James F. Short Professorship in Sociology recognizes James F. Short, Jr., who came to Washington State University in 1951 and served the University in many capacities. A deeply valued member of the Sociology department for six decades, he earned many honors in- and outside the University. He served as dean of the WSU Graduate School in 1964 and as founding director of the Social Research Center (now the Social and Economic Sciences Research Center); he was director of research for the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence; and he was a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

Short educated thousands of sociology students and researchers, and authored, coauthored or edited numerous publications, including books, chapters, and articles in top journals and encyclopedias. Through his extensive research, teaching, and consulting activities, he influenced several generations of students and colleagues and truly made scholars think differently about their work. He served many visiting professorships at universities across the United States and abroad, but he always considered WSU his home.

Although Short passed away in May 2018, the professorship in his name has the potential to impact the educations and lives of thousands of students far into the future.

For more information about how you can make a difference for the Department of Sociology at WSU, please contact the College of Arts and Sciences Development team at cas.development@wsu.edu.