Interview with Lorraine Garkovich, March 1, 1992

Interview Summary

Lorraine Garkovich is a Professor of Sociology with the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture. She was born in New York City in 1950 and completed her bachelor's degree, master's degree, and PhD at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She explains that she knew from the time she was twelve or thirteen that she wanted to be a college professor. For her, it was simply a question of what she was going to teach. Garkovich describes how several incidents affected her decision to pursue a degree in sociology, namely that the psychology department at the University of Missouri-Columbia was not cooperative with the fact that she wanted to graduate in three years. Garkovich also explains that sociology allows her to combine many of her interests, and recalls the effect that her involvement on the debate team in high school and college had on her skills and abilities. Garkovich describes what she likes about her work, along with her frustrations. She states that she enjoys working with local people to translate her research into forms that they can use. She explains that most female sociologists end up in non-academic positions, most likely due to the heavy work load of an academic career. She talks about the male-oriented schedule of the academic career, explaining that it is not unusual for her to spend sixty hours a week working between her teaching, research, and extension activities. She describes her decision to take a position at UK because it offered her more opportunities if she ever wanted to leave. Garkovich describes her involvement in the Family Community Leadership program, a home economics extension program allowing women to become more involved in their communities, and some of her other extension activities with farm families. She discusses the skills and abilities required for someone in her line of work, especially the importance of time management, and talks about her personal interest in horse shows.

Interview Keyword

Sociology Teaching University of Kentucky Professors College students--Attitudes. College students--Conduct of life.

Interview LC Subject

Garkovich, Lorraine Garkovich, Lorraine--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Sociology. University of Missouri--Columbia University of Kentucky--Faculty College environment College teachers--Job satisfaction College teachers--Social conditions College teachers--Workload Education, Higher--Kentucky Universities and colleges--Research College students--Social conditions Universities and colleges--Faculty Teaching College teachers College teaching Education

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.