MSU Sociology’s Dr. Sarah Prior and undergraduate students receive PURI award

November 13, 2025 - Karessa Weir

Dr. Sarah Prior, Associate Professor of Sociology, has been awarded a 2025-2026 Provost's Undergraduate Research Initiative grant.  

The funds will support Dr. Prior and two undergraduate students, Ada Tussing and Trevin Bathgate, working on the project “Campus Sexual Culture: Understanding the Role of Sexual Health and Consent Education.” 

“We are looking at how sexual health education and consent education influence students’ perception of campus sexual culture,” Prior said, adding that this will be a deeper dive into earlier research.  

Students will present the results in next spring’s University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum.  

Partnered with the Office of the Provost, the College of Social Science awards funding to exceptional undergraduate students to support their research endeavors and gives them an opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on their scholarly projects as well. These students typically work one-on-one with a faculty member or as members of a research team including both faculty and graduate students. 

Prior, together with students Matayia Newbern, Lauren Golden and Emma Huizenga received a 2023 PURI to work on a project titled “Is everyone really hooking up? Examining campus sexual culture and consent.”  

This project later turned into a successful journal article in Sexuality & Culture entitled "College students’ perceptions of hookup culture through a social ecological lens." 

She received a 2022 award to work with Katie Burkhardt and Cassidy Versen. 

Prior serves as Undergraduate Program Director for MSU Sociology and director of the Bailey Scholars Program.