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Karen Macke

She/Her/Hers

Title

Director for Health Professions Advising

Department

DavisConnects

Information

Address

4151 Mayflower Hill Waterville, Maine 04901-8853

Personal Information

Karen Macke (she/her) brings more than 18 years of experience in higher education to DavisConnects, including positions as an Assistant Professor and a Faculty Fellow and Instructor of Sociology at Thomas College, Colby College, SUNY Empire State, and Syracuse University. Since joining DavisConnects in 2022 as the Advisor for Education and Community Engagement, Karen has expanded her portfolio to include pre-law advising, building robust programming and individualized support for students and alumni exploring legal careers. She works extensively with students from their first year through post-graduation, helping them identify opportunities, prepare competitive applications, and connect with Colby’s global network of alumni. 

Her approach to mentorship focuses on active listening, supporting student wellness, and valuing the perspectives students bring through lived experience. As a Colby College alum (’00), she is deeply committed to advancing liberal arts education and promoting engaged and responsible citizenship among all its students.

Karen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Human Development from Colby College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Syracuse University with Certificates of Advanced Studies in Women’s and Gender Studies, Social Movements, and Conflict Resolution. Her research examined the intersections of religious participation and collective action within the changing landscape of LGBTQA activism.

Publications

  • Macke, Karen E. 2016. "Que(e)rying Religious Activism: Culture, Identity, and the Politics of Family in Unitarian Universalist Churches." Order No. 10252320 dissertation, Syracuse University, United States -- New York https://colby.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/que-e-rying-religious-activism-culture-identity/docview/1860869581/se-2.
  • Macke, Karen. 2014. "Que(e)rying Methodology to Study Church-Based Activism: Conversations in Culture, Power, and Change", in Taylor, Yvette and Ria Snowdon (eds.) Intersecting Contradiction? Queering Religion, Religious Queers. New York, NY: Routledge.