SCSU Distinguished Thesis Award: 2012 Recipient Announcement

SCSU Distinguished Thesis Award:
2012 Recipient Announcement
It is with great pleasure that the School
of Graduate Studies announces Angela
Brown as the 2012 recipient of the St.
Cloud State University Distinguished
Master’s Thesis Award. Ms. Brown’s
work, “Queer Youth Community
Organizing: Intents and Outcomes of
Youth Mobilization in LGBTQ Service
Programs” is an insightful contribution
to her field, and an excellent
representation of SCSU’s graduate
community.
The Faculty Association Graduate
Committee reviews theses nominated by
departments and selects one project
annually based on its originality,
methodological soundness, and potential
for significant contribution to the
respective field. As part of SCSU’s
thesis award, Ms. Brown will receive
$200 from the School of Graduate
Studies and a framed certificate.
Angela’s thesis is also SCSU’s
submission to the Midwestern
Association of Graduate Schools
(MAGS) distinguished thesis
competition.
Ms. Brown completed her Master of
Science degree in Social Responsibility
in August 2012. Her committee chair Dr.
Stephen Philion had the following to say
about Ms. Brown’s work,
“Conceptually, the MS thesis is thorough
in its review of key theoretical
arguments in the literature of social
movements, feminism, and identity. The
thesis challenges trends in the theoretical
literature on LGBTQ issues and suggests
that a more class based (in lieu of a
singular identity based) approach to
thinking about the struggles of LGBTQ
youth would result in a better capacity to
be relevant to them as supporters and
community organizers. […] It is a work
that is truly what critical thinking ideally
is about, namely the capacity […] to not
only critically think with regard to those
whose ideas we are opposed to, but
likewise about ideologies within social
movements whose goals we support.”
Angela is currently working through
Mayor Chris Coleman's office as the
AmeriCorps VISTA program leader in St
Paul. She hopes to later earn a Doctorate
and teach higher education courses
focused on the LQBTQ community,
issues of equity, and advancing human
rights.
Among the many thanks, she noted the
following, “I'd like to thank my thesis
committee members, Dr. Zerbib and Dr.
Berila, specifically for reading my 150page thesis; I know it was long, but thank
you both for sticking it out, and for your
extremely helpful suggestions! Also, a
HUGE thank-you to Dr. Philion, I cannot
imagine a more prompt, committed, and
helpful advisor throughout this intense
and stressful process.”