Sociology and Criminology Faculty Feature: Andrea Brower

Responses have been edited for length and clarity:

GONZAGA: Introduce yourself!

BROWER: Hi there, my name is Andrea Brower, I am in the department of Sociology and Criminology and I'm the primary instructor in the Solidarity and Social Justice program at the university.

What is your favorite class to teach?

I love all my classes because they all have unique reasons to love them, but I especially get excited teaching Capitalism, Environmental Justice and Resistance because it really goes to the core of my own passions.

What's your best piece of advice for students?

My best piece of advice for students is to really use the time you're at university to think and engage with the topics and things happening in the world that your most passionate about. Because of the capitalist system we live in, we're often forced to just think about grades and our future careers and our CVs, and as much as you can, as much as you have the privilege to, resist that and actually use this time to be what ideal university time should be, which is a chance to develop your thinking about the world.

What is one thing people may not know about you?

I think my students would be surprised to find out that I'm very introverted and I hate public speaking, even though I do it every single day. 

What's your favorite hobby?

Anything outside, but especially barefoot hiking, sleeping under the stars and swimming in clean water.