Philosophy and Sociology

Welcome to the Philosophy and Sociology Department website. Please click on the links below before to learn more about studying philosophy and sociology at Pierce College.

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Opportunities and Events!

Betty Odello Perpetual Scholarship

•  The deadline for the 2025 Betty Odello Perpetual Scholarship is Monday, April 21st at 11:59 PM. Read on for application instructions and the application link. First, check out the answers to frequently asked questions:

What is the Odello Scholarship?

• Each year a group of friends of Philosophy Professor Emerita Betty Odello offers a scholarship of $1,500 in honor of her many years of dedicated service to Pierce College students.
• The Betty Odello Perpetual Scholarship is awarded each Spring to a Pierce student who will enroll as a transfer student to a four-year institution the following Fall.
• The scholarship is awarded to one or more applicants by the Odello Scholarship Committee, which is made up of faculty and donors.

You should apply if you meet the following requirements:

• You will have transferred to a university for a Fall 2025 start.
• You meet the requirements to transfer to a bachelor’s program by the end of the current semester.
• You will have completed a total of nine (9) units in Sociology, Philosophy, or a combination of both. (It is not necessary to have declared Philosophy or Sociology your major.)
  • You must have completed three (3) of the nine (9) units by the application submission deadline (2025 deadline TBD)
  • You must have successfully completed or be in the process of successfully completing six (6) of the nine (9) units at the time of the application.
    • If you are currently enrolled in three (3) or six (6) courses at the time of your application, list the course(s), section number, and instructor. Note that if you do not complete the course with a passing grade, the award will be rescinded.
• You have completed at least 30 units at Pierce with a minimum cumulative Pierce GPA of 3.3.
• Your completed application must include:
  • A completed application form (to which you will also upload your supporting documents):
    • a personal statement, which highlights your life story, along with your academic and professional goals;
    • an academic writing sample, no longer than 12 pages;
    • a copy of your unofficial transcripts
  • A letter of recommendation from a trusted faculty member. Please be sure to provide your recommender with this link (https://www.lapc.edu/academics/departments/ps-dept) to view letter or recommendation guidelines:

Your student has requested that you write a letter recommending him/her for the Philosophy/Sociology Perpetual Scholarship.  In this letter, please comment on the following:

• how long you have you known the applicant and in what capacity,
• scholastic ability and achievement,
• critical thinking,
• dependability: coming to class, turning in assignments on time, etc.
• ability to express oneself, both written and oral,
• any special characteristics, circumstances.

Please limit your letter to one page, double-spaced.  Upload your letter of recommendation here. Please be sure to include the student’s name in the file name, e.g. LoR_Julio_Tsuha.

How and where do I apply?

• Your completed application (application form and supporting documents) will be submitted via this form. (Alternatively, go to https://forms.gle/ts5jvYaWEdLwkY22A) 
• Please be sure to follow the instructions, which are found on both the application form (available on the Pierce College Philosophy and Sociology Department website by March 15).

When is the deadline?

• Spring 2025 Odello Scholarship application deadline is Monday, April 21st, at 11:59 PM. Completed application packets (your completed application form, which includes supporting documents, and your recommender's letter) are due via the application form.

When will the scholarship be awarded?

• You will be notified by email within a week of the committee’s decision, and no later than mid-May, 2025.
• The 2025 scholarship will be awarded during the Pierce College Graduation Breakfast to a student or student who is transferring to a four-year institution for the Fall 2025 semester.

What do I do if I have questions?

• Please contact Mia Wood, Co-Coordinator of the Betty Odello Perpetual Scholarship.
• You can reach Mia via email:  @email. Please put “Odello Scholarship” in the subject line.