Rate My Professor Sharon Elise

Sharon Elise is a professor of sociology within the Social Science faculty at California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM). She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Oregon in 1990, with a dissertation titled 'Routes to Teenage Motherhood: African, Native, and European Americans.' She also holds a Master of Science in Sociology from the University of Oregon (1982) and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Third College, University of California, San Diego (1975). Prior to joining CSUSM as Assistant Professor of Sociology in Spring 1994, she served as Assistant Professor of Women's Studies at California State University, Fresno from 1989 to 1993. At CSUSM, she was promoted to Associate Professor in 1995 and to full Professor in Fall 2005. She has held significant administrative roles, including Department Chair of Sociology from Fall 2012 to Fall 2018 (two elected terms), Coordinator of the Ethnic Studies Program for three terms (2002-2010), Elected Graduate Coordinator for the MA Program in Sociology (2007-2012), Faculty Fellow for Diversity & Multiculturalism (Spring 2011-2013), and Visiting Professor in Ethnic Studies at the University of California, San Diego (Spring 2006-2009). Additionally, she has served as Assistant Vice President for Racial and Ethnic Diversity with the California Faculty Association.

Sharon Elise's research focuses on race and identity, anti-Black racism in higher education and Puerto Rico, critical race studies, and representations of Blackness in Latino culture. Her key peer-reviewed publications include 'How Whites Play their rAce Card: Drylongso Stories Reveal the Game' in Sociological Perspectives (2004), 'Spike Lee Constructs the New Black Man: Mo' Better' in Western Journal of Black Studies (1992, reprinted in Fight the Power: The Spike Lee Reader, 2008), and 'Perils, Promise and Pitfalls of Diversity: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back' in Journal of Diversity in Education (2013). She has authored book chapters such as 'Teenaged Mothers: A Sense of Self' in Female-Headed Households: African American Women's Perspectives (1995) and contributed encyclopedia articles on topics including civil rights, occupational segregation, and hostile work environments (2008). Her research reports cover Black student retention at CSUSM (2004) and community health initiatives (2005). Among her numerous honors are the inaugural President’s Award for Inclusive Excellence and Diversity (2014), North San Diego County NAACP Women of Color Distinguished Woman Award (2018), President’s Award for Service Leadership (2006), Minority Fellows Program Dissertation Fellowship from the American Sociological Association (1989), and Jane Grant Dissertation Award (1987). She has secured multiple grants for social justice projects, symposia, and curriculum development. Selected as the Presidential Plenary Speaker for the Pacific Sociological Association 2026 conference, her work advances equity and multicultural understanding in academia.