2512 Manor Road

York, PA 17408
Dear Colleagues,
My name is Todd K. Platts. I am a recently minted PhD in sociology from the University of Missouri. My
objective in this letter is to broaden my prospects in seeking tenure-track employment in sociology, media
studies, film studies, American studies, or equivalent fields. From the outset, I will mention that I am
willing to relocate anywhere in the world. I am also willing and able to teach courses in a wide a variety
of topics, including, but not limited to: introduction to sociology, criminology, criminal justice, social
deviance, research methods, sociology of culture, sociology of media, qualitative methods, and social
psychology (please refer to my homepage for sample syllabi, also note that I will be adding more syllabi
in the coming weeks: https://independent.academia.edu/ToddPlatts/Employment-Portfolio).
As an instructor dedicated to creating a quality learning environment, my primary aim will be to execute
my in-class duties to the utmost of my ability. (For a broader statement of my teaching philosophy see
here: https://www.academia.edu/3177389/Teaching_Philosophy.) With that being said, I recognize
learning entails more than simply showing up to class and that my quality as a professor requires more
than treating my assigned course-load as my only responsibility. As such, I will take a number of steps to
enhance my effectiveness as an instructor:
-First, if desired by the hiring institution, I can help develop courses of interest to the colleges
student body (e.g. a human rights centered criminology course, a course on zombies, or a course
in public sociology).
-Second, I will become involved in student life. This can include helping to coordinate a studentcentered academic conference (for a sample call for papers and FAQ see here:
https://www.academia.edu/5874135/Sample_Call_for_Papers_and_FAQ_for_Proposed_Student_
Centered_Conference), sponsoring existing student organizations, and starting new ones
dependent upon student demand.
-Third, for students interested in attending graduate school or have a general interest in writing, I
am willing help prepare superlative work for publication in either undergraduate research journals
or professional peer-review journals.
-Fourth, I will forge working relations with local businesses and organizations to establish gainful
internships and a vibrant graduation-to-employment pipeline. Relatedly, I will work diligently
with advisees to ensure their completion of the appropriate coursework and post-graduation
success.
Although I consider myself an educator, first and foremost, I maintain an active publication track. To
date, I am the only sociologist to have published an article on the sociology of zombies in a peer-review
sociology journal. In addition to what I have already published, I have several articles in press and several
more in progress. If desired by a hiring institution, however, I can easily shift my research program to a
media-based and/or an ethnographic-based criminology program.
If you have any interest please email me at: toddkplatts@gmail.com. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Todd K. Platts