Sociology Professor Mary Senter to retire

After more than 40 years of providing leadership, mentorship, and support to multiple generations of the Central Michigan University community, Sociology faculty member Mary Senter announced plans to retire from the university this summer.

Senter first joined the faculty at CMU in August of 1978 and has served in numerous leadership roles throughout her career, including undergraduate and graduate professor, department chairperson, CLASS Assessment Coordinator, Director of the Center for Applied Research and Rural Studies (CARRS), President of the Faculty Association, Chair of the Academic Senate, and Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.

As Director of CARRS from 2002 to 2019, she completed more than 150 applied social science research projects for a variety of nonprofit and government offices in Central and Northern Michigan as well as multiple offices within CMU. 

As faculty member, she received the 2021 John F. Schnabel Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award from the North Central Sociology Association; the 2022 Hans O. Mauksch Award for Distinguished Contributions to Undergraduate Sociology from the Teaching and Learning Section of the American Sociology Association; and the 2025 American Sociology Association Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award for her contributions to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Sociology. 

Senter also served as an important mentor to many faculty members at CMU and other universities.

As she leaves CMU to spend more time with her family, we would like to thank Professor Senter for her many contributions to the Sociology Program and Central Michigan University.