Last updated 04/11/2023
Dr. Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo is an internationally renowned scholar who has demonstrated exceptional achievement and a lifetime of scholarly contributions to the study of international migration, gender, and Latino/a sociology. Her high-impact research and prolific publications have changed the ways in which scholars conceptualize and examine issues of gender, labor and work. She is the author of multiple award-winning books and dozens of articles in leading journals. She has also served as a dedicated mentor to undergraduate and graduate students and to younger faculty members. Her students have broken new theoretical and empirical ground by examining such topics as children who street vend with their parents, Latinas’ niche concentration in the teaching profession, the ways in which religion affects Latino gang narratives and rehabilitation, and Mexican immigrant sexualities. Her graduate students, who primarily conducted time-consuming qualitative research, finished USC’s Sociology PhD program in a timely manner and were able to land tenure-track jobs in top research institutions throughout the United States. In addition, she has an admirable record of service at USC. Professor Hondagneu-Sotelo provided administrative service and leadership in the sociology department as well as at the college and university levels. In the department of sociology, she served on most of the department’s standing committees and as Director of Graduate Studies. Hondagneu-Sotelo’s groundbreaking research and extensive mentoring have paved the way for research and scholars in international migration, gender, labor, and Latino/a Studies. In sum, Prof. Hondagneu-Sotelo’s inspiring career has had a tremendous impact on the university, on the broader scholarly community, and on the world at large and it is an honor to award her the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award.