Cristián Doña-Reveco, MSU Sociology PhD alum, returns to join department, head research institute
July 6, 2026 - Karessa Weir
When Cristián Doña-Reveco saw that Michigan State University was searching for a director for the Julian Samora Research Institute (JSRI), he knew it was his chance to come home.
Doña-Reveco completed a master's degree in Sociology followed by a dual doctoral degree in Sociology and History at MSU.
“This is the closest thing we have to a home here. My three kids were born here,” he said. “When the opportunity came, it was a no-brainer to apply.”
He begins his new appointment as tenured Associate Professor of MSU Sociology and JSRI director on Aug. 1.
JSRI, a premier Latino research institute in the Midwest, generates, disseminates, and applies knowledge to serve the needs of communities in the region and across the nation, with a focus on service delivery systems, health disparities, entrepreneurship, human capital, leadership development, and education, especially among Latinos.
As an MSU Sociology PhD student, Doña-Reveco interacted with JSRI, receiving an endowed scholarship from the institute. It helped him complete his dissertation on the “Chilean Migration to the United States since the 1950s.”
In addition to heading the institute, Doña-Reveco will teach a course for MSU Sociology and is especially looking forward to working with the current graduate students.
“I’m excited to become part of the community again and especially to be working with PhD students. It feels really good coming back,” he said.
Doña-Reveco’s research centers around international migration in the Americas, Latino communities in the U.S. Midwest, immigrant perceptions, and the impact of crises on Latino communities. As director of the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) and associate professor of sociology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he has also led several community-engaged research projects and initiatives with the Latino community.
Prior to his position at University of Nebraska at Omaha, Doña-Reveco spent two years in Santiago, Chile, conducting field research on North-South migration and teaching at Universidad Diego Portales and Universidad Alberto Hurtado. He has also worked as a consultant for the International Organization for Migration and the Population Division of the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
In addition to his MSU education, he also earned a master’s degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a bachelor’s degree from Universidad de Chile. He came to MSU on a Fulbright Scholarship in 2005, where he worked with MSU Sociology Professor Emeritus Brendan Mullan. He completed his studies in 2012.
“Returning to Michigan State University is especially meaningful to me,” Doña-Reveco said. “I look forward to reconnecting with a community that shaped my academic path and to guiding JSRI’s continued growth in the years ahead.”
As director of JSRI, Doña-Reveco will provide strategic leadership for the institute’s research, outreach, and partnership efforts, advancing its mission to produce knowledge that informs policy and strengthens Latino communities.
Sociology Department Chair, Carla A. Pfeffer, said: “We’re so thrilled to welcome Cristián back home. He’s yet another educational and professional success story among the long legacy of over 100 years of Sociology here at MSU. It’s always wonderful to be able to celebrate a full-circle moment like this one. We’re fortunate that he’s decided to (re)join us in this new and exciting role in which he’ll surely excel.”