Consortium Member Biography
JEAN C. KARLEN, WAYNE STATE COLLEGE
Dr. Jean C. Karlen joined the faculty at Wayne State College in 1976. She is currently Professor of Sociology and Service-Learning Coordinator for the campus. Her teaching interests are Community, Family, and Research Methods.
Jean has been active in a number of professional and community organizations over the years. She has been a member of the NCH Speaker’s Bureau for over 15 years, is a past member of the Nebraska Commission on the Status of Women, and currently serves as President of the Nebraska Women’s Foundation. She is the National President for Pi Gamma Mu, an international honor society for the Social Sciences, and has been sponsor of the Wayne State PGM chapter since 1978. Jean is usually involved in two or three community projects at any one time. The projects may range from facilitating strategic planning for a community to assisting with the development of a survey.
Jean has served on the Board as Committee Chair for the Midwest Sociological Society (MSS) since 1989. In the spring of 2000, she received the “Distinguished Service Award” from MSS for her many contributions to the Society. She was also recognized as the Outstanding Professor of the Year for the Nebraska State College System in 2003.
On a more personal note, Jean has been music director at St. John’s Catholic Church in Pender since 1972. She is a past member of the Pender School Board and currently serves as a member of Pender Economic Development and the Pender-Thurston Education and Community Foundation. She has been married for 35 years to Jerry Karlen, VP for Automatic Equipment Co. in Pender. Jean and Jerry have three daughters (Julia, Jaima, and Jaclyn). They enjoy playing cribbage, golf, traveling, and taking long walks together.
