Dr. George grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico and has two older brothers who taught her to stick up for herself at any early age and helped her become a better athlete and student. She earned her MA and PhD at UCSB in Sociology. Her research focused on the labor market and gender. After finishing graduate school, she switched gears and focused on criminology; her research now focuses on police-community relations. She has been interested in the Criminal Justice System and Sociology since a young age, she was always drawn to books and movies about serial killers and the dark side of human behavior. Read on to learn more about the wonderful Molly George!
She loves the small classes Cal Lutheran has to offer and the university’s emphasis on “developing well-rounded students who have an awareness of the broader world around them.” This is her dream job. Her favorite class to teach is Research Methods, which she teaches every semester, because it provides an opportunity to teach students the skills to critically interpret as well as conduct research. Professor George loves combining both teaching, research and service. Her study, “Project Safe Passage,” evaluates community policing and educational interventions with kids in Thousand Oaks and through this study, she is able to combine all of those passions.Her Campus Cal Lutheran: Why did you decide to pursue your PhD?
Molly George: I love learning!
HCCLU: Have you ever thought that you may be looked at differently since you’re a woman teaching in the criminal justice field?
MG: Sometimes people seem surprised when they learn I am a professor. My response is always “I am older and smarter than I look.”
HCCLU: A piece of advice for your students?
MG: Don’t be afraid of rejection and be willing to work your way up from the bottom of your chosen career. Find a passion and let that lead you to a job.
HCCLU: What’s something you want your kids to know?
MG: I hope that my kids, and students, learn how to critically evaluate the world around them, to ask important questions, and to find a way to positively contribute to society.
Outside of work, Dr. George loves to spend time with her family; she lives in Santa Barbara with her husband and two young sons. They spend a lot of time at parks, the beach, and the zoo. The person who inspires her the most in life is her husband Ben, a physician. She admires how he treats all of his patients with so much respect and compassion. As well as admiring how he can explain complex medical things so simply, just like any great teacher would. When asked what she hopes her two sons learn from her, she said “I hope my sons learn how to be independent thinkers and that they are able to find sports, hobbies and eventually a career in what inspires them as much as I have enjoyed those things for myself.”