Meet the CSR

History

The Center for Social Research (CSR) at Calvin College began in 1970 as the Social Research Center. The Center was established because of increasing requests to sociology faculty for guidance and research assistance. Since then, CSR has evolved from a vehicle of the sociology department to an independent center supporting all of the social science departments of Calvin College. Throughout its history, excellence in academic research and a commitment to community partnership have been two of CSR's pillars.

Mission

To serve as a catalyst for scholarly research in the social sciences. Through research, we seek to be agents of renewal in the academy, church and society.

Values

• Research: promote academic and applied research of the highest quality by encouragement, example, and engagement with the college’s social science community.

• Partnership: undertake collaborative and community-based research with scholars, organizations, and institutions at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

• Faculty Development: enhance the scholarly community at Calvin College in the social sciences.

• Student Involvement: provide opportunities for students to develop their research skills in a mentoring environment.

Staff
		James Penning, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Social Research, is Professor of Political Science at Calvin College. His primary areas of research are Religion and Politics and American state and local politics.
		Neil Carlson, assistant director of the Center for Social Research, combines a Ph.D. in political science from Duke University with expertise in technology consulting, international development, youth ministry and non-profit administration. Areas of specialization include database design, online survey administration, geographic information systems (GIS) and project budgeting and scheduling.
		Amanda Stek, research associate, graduated from Calvin College in 2008 and plans to attend graduate school for International Policy. She works as a supervisor for the student staff and is responsible for the practical implementation and evaluation of the operations of the CSR.
		Kathy Bardolph, administrative assistant, provides administrative, clerical, and project support to the department.
Student Staff Team: The student research assistants are comprised of approximately 4-6 Calvin students at any given time who are specially trained in the research software utilized by the center. Currently, we have four RA’s:
		Sara Achauer is a junior Sociology major with minors in Gender Studies and German.
		Michael Evans-Totoe is a sophomore Computer Science major.
		Brian Odegaard is a senior Psychology and Piano Performance double major.
		Nikole Voss is a junior Social Work major with a minor in Spanish.

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