Professor
(719) 502-3219 | Gina.Thorne@pikespeak.edu
Box R16, Rampart Range | PRR-E213L
Gina Thorne
M.A., University of Wyoming
M.P.A., Univeristy of Colorado
I have earned two Master of Arts degrees, one in Public Administration and another
in Sociology, finishing with “Top Graduate Student” honors in the former. I have been
teaching introductory, advanced and graduate level Sociology and Public Administration
courses since 1999 and have served at the following local institutions: Air Force
Academy, Pikes Peak State College, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and
Colorado State University at Pueblo. I currently serve as the Department Chair of
Sociology and Coordinator of our PAGE program (overseeing advancement opportunities
for part-time instructors).
As a member of various college-level teams at Pikes Peak State College, I helped steer
the process of instituting and assessing our first ever general education outcomes
as well as High Impact Teaching Practices and have previously served as both a department
and state level discipline chair. I have specific academic training in program assessment,
including training with both the American Evaluation Association and Association of
Institutional Research. I have also researched and written multiple academic department
and college-level program assessment reports.
Jan 2002 to present: Professor, Department Chair, PAGE Coordinator, Service-Learning
Specialist and College Outcomes Assessment Team member; Business, Public Service and
Social Sciences and Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Division, Pikes Peak State
College, Colorado Springs and CCCOnline, Aurora. Responsibilities: Supervise up to
ten faculty and oversee departmental level programming, scheduling, budgeting and
assessment, including concurrent enrollment; develop and teach introductory Sociology
courses (online/traditional); advise students of varying backgrounds and educational
levels aspiring to a range of personal and career goals; facilitate and coordinate
a variety of department and college-wide service-learning, assessment and re-accreditation
projects.
Aug 2013 to Aug 2019: Sociology State Discipline Chair, Colorado Community College
System, Aurora. Responsibilities: Elected by peers to represent more than 20 permanent
faculty from across the state, conducted discipline meetings and coordinated curriculum,
including the introduction of new courses and updating course descriptions, outcomes
and outlines for all existing courses.
Mar 2007 to Aug 2012: Adjunct Faculty, Sociology Division, Colorado State University-Pueblo
in Colorado Springs and School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado at Colorado
Springs. Responsibilities: Developed and taught upper division and graduate level
courses.
Feb 2006 to Jan 2007: Personnel Research Psychologist, Division of Plans and Programs,
United States Air Force Academy. Responsibilities: Led program evaluation efforts
on the effectiveness of leadership and character development programs; assessed climate
issues; developed and administered surveys; used a variety of quantitative and qualitative
software programs to analyze results; briefed senior leaders; made recommendations
based on research results.
Jan to May 2003: Independent consultant for School Districts 2, 11, 20, and 38, Pikes
Peak Region, Colorado Springs. Responsibilities: Gathered observational data on a
rigorous protocol designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the STEP-UP science program
teacher training and curriculum implementation.
Dec 1998 to July 2003: Captain, Assistant Professor, Program Evaluator, Course Director
and Personnel Officer, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States
Air Force Academy. Responsibilities: Developed and taught behavioral sciences courses;
led program evaluations and reviews on the effectiveness and history of academic,
leadership and character development programs; served as lead instructor for a required
“Leadership” course with oversight of 12 other instructors; served as Officer-in-Charge
of the Leadership Reaction Course with oversight of 27 Air Force Reserve and cadet
personnel; managed personnel acquisition and manpower issues.
-“Student of the Year” Top Graduate Honors, Graduate School of Public Affairs, University
of Colorado at Colorado Springs (2004)
-Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster (1996, 2002)
-“Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges” Recognition, University
of Wyoming (1998-1999)
-Full scholarship from the United States Air Force for graduate studies in Sociology
(1997)
-Air Force Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award, highest award for Quality Improvement
efforts in the Air Force (1997)
-Distinguished Graduate, Basic Officers Course, Security Police Academy (1996)
-Distinguished Graduate, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL (1996)
Introduction to Sociology I/II, Family, Deviant Behavior, Ethnic Studies, Gender and Social Problems
- Cooney, Richard T., Gina D. Swanson (Thorne), and David R. Segal. 2003. “Sociology
at the U.S. Air Force Academy.” Paper presented at 2003 Biennial International Conference
of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces & Society.
Cooney, Richard T., Gina D. Swanson (Thorne), and David R. Segal. 2002. “Sociology
at the U.S. Air Force Academy.” Paper presented at International Sociological Association’s
15th World Congress of Sociology in Australia.
- Swanson (Thorne), Gina D. 2002. “Technical Report on a Program Evaluation of the
Cadet Leadership Enrichment Seminar”, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership,
United States Air Force Academy. Conducted secondary research into theories and issues
of effective leadership training and designed questionnaires, developed a logic model
and collected data on reactionary and learning objectives of the program.
-“Annual Graduate Survey” and “Organizational climate survey,” 2001-2002. Data collection,
analysis, interpretation and briefing of annual surveys to Air Force Academy leadership,
United States Air Force Academy.
-Swanson (Thorne), Gina D. 2000. “The Teaching of Critical Thinking Skills,” Presentation
to the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership faculty, United States Air
Force Academy.
- Swanson (Thorne), Gina D. 1998. “Female Genital Circumcision—Cultural Relevance,”
Featured presenter at annual University conference “Looking toward the Millennium,”
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.
Religion, Institutions, Program Evaluation/Assessment, Organizational Analysis