CBSHS Alumni Spotlight: Sociology alumna earns prestigious fellowship with Govern for America

Meet Imari Crumity, 2024 graduate of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice and Govern for America Fellow.

During her first visit to Clemson University, Imari Crumity ’24 sat beside the Reflection Pond with a view of Robert Muldrow Cooper Library and immediately knew she wanted to spend the next four years of her life as a Clemson student.

Now, as a young alumna, Crumity looks back on her time as a first-generation college student with fondness and appreciation.

“The Clemson Experience is something you cannot fully understand until you have lived it,” said Crumity. “The personal, academic and professional connections I made during my time as a student are as valuable to me as my degree itself.  My professors, advisors and mentors helped me discover my passion for social science and governance and encouraged me to pursue a career where the two disciplines intersected.”

Earlier this year, Crumity earned a fellowship with Govern for America (GFA) and accepted a position with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in the Bureau of Air Quality. She was among 17 Fellows nationwide selected for the 2024 cohort – and the first-ever Fellow from Clemson University.

The Govern for America Fellowship Program is a competitive two-year program that places emerging leaders into key positions in government to address some of the nation’s most critical challenges.

According to Crumity, her undergraduate training in sociology and public policy is especially useful in her role as an Air Quality Fellow. Currently, she is working to develop and implement a comprehensive training program to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff within the Bureau. The program focuses on addressing critical environmental issues, streamlining processes and ensuring employees have the tools they need to meet evolving air quality standards and regulations.

Crumity said her background in community studies and policy analysis help her approach the program with a holistic perspective, prioritizing both technical expertise and the broader societal impacts of environmental protection initiatives.

Additionally, she has been invited to participate in a fellowship with the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Administration. The fellowship aims to bring local GFA Fellows together with Fellows of other programs specific to the Commonwealth for networking and professional development opportunities.

“Clemson University and the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences opened doors I never imagined possible. My experiences in the classroom and beyond shaped my future and empowered me to pursue my dreams with confidence, and I am eternally grateful,” said Crumity.

She is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Administration program in the Department of Political Science and said her future goals include completing her master’s degree and one day earning a Fulbright Scholarship.

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice is in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS). Established in July 2016, CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in nine disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.