Projects

CURRENT WORK

Rural Virginia Access Study

• Project with rural, persistently poor counties in Virginia looking at access to aid programs and healthcare.
• Project is focused on how changes to federal funding for the social safety net and healthcare impact some of our most needy populations.
• Qualitative study that includes participant observation and interviews.
• Project is taking place in two field locations. Buchanan County and Radford/Pulaski County.
• Includes some program assessment work with Feeding Southwest Virginia and The Health Wagon. 

Radford Housing Project

• Student led project focused on housing and food security amongst Radford students both on and off campus.
• Qualitative interviews take place in fall and an annual survey takes place each Spring. Longitudinal.

Virginia 211 Virginia Needs Mapping

• Morgan Montañez, Ph.D., and the CSCR staff are analyzing qualitative data collected by 211 intake staff to determine what services were not able to be met. The analysis of this data will result in mapping for the commonwealth.
• Data analysis and mapping
• Paige Dickerhoof joined the research group in 2026 and is helping to analyze mental healthcare access and demographic use. 

Roots with Wings

• Melinda Wagner, Ph.D., with the Floyd Story Center and Floyd County High School
• RU-Floyd County oral history project teaching qualitative research methods to high school students and recording the stories of WW II in Floyd County

Selu Oral History

·       Led by Dr. Aysha Bodenhamer, Director of Appalachian Studies.

Rural Sociological Society Oral Histories

• Led by Dr. Julie Zimmerman at University of Kentucky.
• Partnership where our students are helping to digitize records and conduct oral history interviews on behalf of RSS. 

COURSES AND WORKSHOPS OFFERED BY FACULTY AFFILIATES:

• Introduction to Sociology Research Methods- Dr. Morgan Montañez
• Qualitative Research Methods- Dr. Morgan Montañez
• Introduction to Survey Research Methods- Dr. Morgan Montañez
• Visual Sociology- Dr. Roby Page
• Real World Sociology: Applied Research Principles- Dr. Aysha Bodenhamer
• Graduate School Application Series: Offered Annually in Fall- Dr. Morgan Montañez
• Cover letter and resume workshop: Offered Annually in Spring-  Dr. Morgan Montañez
• Qualitative Research Bootcamp: Offered Annually in Summer for SURF, SEED, and Work-Study students— Dr. Morgan Montañez

INCOMING PROJECTS

• Aysha Bodenhamer, Ph.D., has a survey we will work on bringing in and fielding Spring-Summer 2027 looking at environmental health impacts in Radford.
• Program Assessment for Rice and Beans food pantry Spring 2027. 

PAST PROJECTS

Pulaski High School Project

• Elizabeth Lyman, Ph.D., with Beans and Rice
• Research consulting and survey research assistance for Beans and Rice Program at Pulaski High School
• RU Sustainability

Allison Wisecup, Ph.D., with Dennis Grady, Ph.D., Rick Roth, Ph.D., and Julio Stephens

• Quantitative research project
• Civic Engagement in Higher Education

Elizabeth Lyman, Ph.D, with Erin Webster-Garrett, Ph.D., Director, Scholar-Citizen Initiative

• Research project examining civic engagement initiatives in higher education
• RU Poverty Project

Elizabeth Lyman, Ph.D.

• Research project on college student poverty and homelessness
• National College Health Assessment

Allison Wisecup, Ph.D., with Julie Dill, SAVES Office

• Research project
• Religious Identity and Practices of U.S. College Students

Joanna Hunter, Ph.D.

• Quantitative research project using National Study of Youth and Religion data

Virginia 211 Evaluation

• Joanna Hunter, Ph.D., developed and implemented an assessment tool for Virginia 211’s services. 
• Questionnaire Design and Implementation

National Center for Frontier Communities 

• Partnership with NCFC 
• CSCR helped with literature reviews, grant writing, and map updates over 2024-2026. We will resume work with NCFC in 2029. 

Assessment Subcommittee Work- Radford General Education Implementation Committee 

• Designed and conducted two focus groups for the Assessment Subcommittee in 2026. 
• Provided detailed report of findings to leadership.