Department of Sociology & Criminology
211 Old Main,
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701
P 479-575-3205
E-mail: nkarnes@uark.edu
Erica Estes
MA in Sociology | 1999 | Director of Employer Relations for Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas
Why did you choose to purse an MA in Sociology at the UofA?
I chose to pursue an MA in Sociology at the UofA because I was interested in researching social stratification issues, particularly the impact that the second wave feminist movement had on the NWA community and on individual women in the area. At the time, Dr. Zajicek had been awarded a grant to conduct an oral history project on which I was fortunate to serve as a Research Assistant. From my graduate experience, I learned how much I loved listening to people’s stories and connecting their stories to larger sociological phenomena.
What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
My greatest professional accomplishment is a harder question to answer because I think every year I have an accomplishment that I’m proud of. The past year, I have been given the opportunity to learn, practice, teach and collaborate around campus with Life Design. Life Design uses design thinking framework and mindset to help students build out their future. I was awarded a scholarship to attend Stanford University’s Life Design Studio in summer 2018, which just began the wonderful journey. It’s been fascinating to see how students respond to this concept and the activities, and also to develop partnerships around campus to incorporate this idea into curriculum and programming.
Get to Know a Fulbright Alum and Current Staff Member
By: Katie Burkhart
Most Fulbright College students recognize the name Erica Estes from the weekly Career
Insider emails she sends out. But, there’s more they might not know about her. Estes
is an alum of the University of Arkansas and Fulbright College.
She got her B.A. in psychology with a minor in gender studies. Dr. Anna Zajicek, now
chair of the sociology department, helped her make the decision to continue her education
and to work toward an M.A. in sociology. After working as Dr. Zajicek’s research assistant,
she became Estes’ lifelong mentor.
Upon graduation, Estes knew she wanted to work toward equality for women, but didn’t
know exactly which role. So, she moved to Baltimore and after a month job search,
became a child counselor for a domestic violence agency. She worked there for less
than two years, but is still close to her coworkers to this day because of the intensity
of the work they did together.
“I learned my passion for advocacy and education,” Estes said.
She then spent five years in staff development for a foster care agency. When she
moved back to Arkansas, she got a job with the University of Arkansas thanks to her
connections to Fulbright College.
“I combined all the skills I learned from psychology, sociology, counseling and training
to be a career counselor,” Estes said. She moved up over the years and is now the Director of Employer Relations
for Fulbright College.
She says the relationships with her professors gave her the confidence to keep moving
forward.
“The time and energy they invested in me made me feel special and helped me to understand
my qualifications and unique traits,” Estes said.
Estes says she thinks it’s really important to stay connected to your department after
graduation because it helps the college and faculty to educate current students on
the career paths that are possible. “It also reminds you of your core values as an intellectual and a professional,” she said.
In her current job, she uses her degrees to understand how and why people make the
decisions they do, and the value of further investigation into the complexity of systems,
processes, and groups of people.
“I think my education and previous jobs are what gives me a drive to fight for the
underdogs and wanderers,” Estes said.
Estes is a prime example of a Fulbright alum who was unsure about what to do with
her degrees and education, but went on to learn more about herself through different
careers. She finally ended up back where it all began; she spends every day working
in Old Main for Fulbright College.