Dr. Sarah Prior is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology where she serves as the Undergraduate Program Director. She is also the Director of the Bailey Scholars Program at Michigan State University.
Her research expertise is investigating gender-based violence from an institutional perspective. At the core of her work, Dr. Prior seeks to understand how campus culture influences campus sexual violence. She is an intersectional and interdisciplinary scholar. Her most recent book Campus Sexual Violence: A State of Institutionalized Sexual Terrorism was released in 2022. She has also authored and co-authored numerous journal articles and book chapters.
Dr. Prior is a dedicated teacher-scholar and has been recognized by her department and University. Dr. Prior has successfully completed both the Adams Academy Teaching Fellowship and the Lily Fellows program in addition to being a Bailey Scholars Faculty Fellow. She is also an advocate for equity and justice and has attended numerous workshops and trainings focused on DEIB as well as co-running the Faculty Learning Community on Decolonizing the University.
Dr. Prior is excited about the opportunity to learn with and from both the mentors and fellows in the 2024-2025 Academic Leadership Fellowship program. She brings a strong focus and commitment on justice and equity-based work in research, teaching, and administrative work. During her fellowship, she aims to gain insight into how to cultivate a community of care, joy and curiosity within her units which helping to create places where people want to work and learn.