Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year Sarah Prior celebrated

June 18, 2025 - Mark Johnson

Undergraduate research mentor of the year: Sarah Prior

Sarah Prior’s classes are much more than a lecture – they are weekly or biweekly opportunities for students to talk about, think about and conduct research at the intersection of campus sexual culture and campus sexual violence while learning new skills and exploring new data.

Prior, who came to MSU in 2017, mentored and worked with a lab of four to six undergraduate researchers for the last two years. They either volunteered to accumulate research experience or were Sociology students who signed up for a class that counted as an experiential learning course.

Since she came to MSU in 2017, Prior has turned her classrooms and labs into open environments where students are empowered to exhibit curiosity, discover different directions a research project might take them, explore data and work collaboratively.

“Students inspire me,” Prior said. “They have new ways of thinking about things and different ways to see the world. They bring their fresh experiences and curiosity to each new task. It is truly a joy and privilege to be able to work with students. I love what I do.”

Students who enter Prior’s classrooms and labs leave having gained invaluable research experience, meaningful mentorship, and resources and support that set them up for future academic and career success.

Prior’s nominator, a sociology and psychology major and 2025 MSU graduate, is continuing their education at the prestigious Oxford University. In Prior’s classes and mentorship, they found not only research opportunities but mentorship, profound ways to learn and grow, and the tools needed for educational success.

“Dr. Prior is not only an outstanding researcher and mentor but also a personal role model. Her passion for her research, her dedication to making a meaningful impact with her work, and her unwavering support for her students have inspired me to strive for excellence in my own academic and professional pursuits in research and academia,” said Prior’s nomination letter. “Her work as a qualitative researcher focusing on gender-based issues and sexual violence has not only advanced the field of sociology but has also motivated me to explore and illuminate the challenges faced by marginalized communities. Dr. Prior’s example motivates me to one day emulate her impact as a mentor and researcher.”