Alumni

Emma Holland, BA 2021

I graduated from the Sociology Department in August 2021 with a concentration in Criminology and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.  The week after graduation, I landed a job at Tiny House Community Development, a non-profit located minutes from campus.  Here, I work as a Case Manager for unsheltered people, guiding them through a system that is built against them.  I provide case management services through resource guidance, permanent supportive housing placement, and referrals to health clinics based on client needs.  Tiny House works to build tiny home communities in Guilford County to house unsheltered folks and give them an opportunity to build relationships with case managers and neighbors.  These homes are environmentally friendly as we use energy-efficient HVAC units and keep garden boxes and chicken coops on the property.  During my undergraduate years, my goal was to start working at a non-profit post-graduation as I decide on my future education path.  The UNCG Sociology Department has equipped me with the skills to understand the inequalities in our community and to recognize the unique situations that people face based on the intersections of their identities.  This education paired with my empathy has made this job so rewarding.  There’s nothing like getting to see what your work can do for a single person and their life.  I am currently working on creating a partnership between Tiny House and UNCG students and faculty to provide courses for unsheltered clients to address barriers such as health and wellbeing and financial and technological literacy.