The following article appeared in the From The Hill Magazine Summer 2024 Issue. Follow these links to make a gift, update your information, or submit a class note.
Throughout her four decades teaching at Albertus, Dr. Patricia Yeaman found unique ways to connect with the thousands of students who attended her sociology classes. Retiring in 2019, Dr. Yeaman recalled, “I spent my entire adult life at Albertus, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
After receiving her Ph.D. from Fordham University, Dr. Yeaman joined Albertus as a full-time faculty member in 1980, relocating from Fall River, Massachusetts to New Haven. On her first day, she was introduced to Professor Ron Waite. They shared an office together for her entire career and became best friends. Dr. Yeaman, who lost her father when she was just six-years-old, said, “It wasn’t until I met Ron that I understood the importance of having a strong, protective male in my life. Ron was a father-figure to so many students, and to me.”
Professor Waite genuinely cared about his students, and everyone knew it. He taught them that is was okay to make a mistake as long as they learned from it. It was Professor Waite who encouraged Dr. Yeaman to learn photography, a passion and hobby for which the two of them became well-known for, frequently taking pictures during campus activities, sporting events, and Commencement.
In 1992, Dr. Yeaman was named Chair of the Sociology Department, helping build upon the newly established Criminal Justice program, and introducing a path for students that wanted to go on to become social workers. She even earned a Master of Social Work degree herself to feel better equipped to teach these new courses.
When given the opportunity, Dr. Yeaman taught classes in the Continuing Education program, and enjoyed being in the presence of adult learners, who brought many life experiences into the classroom. “I learned so much from them and, as a sociologist, it opened up my world,” explained Dr. Yeaman. “They felt comfortable sharing about their cultures and events happening in their lives. I was honored to be making these connections with students, and that they felt safe sharing these stories in class.”
It was the rise of hip-hop music that allowed Dr. Yeaman to build a bridge to traditional undergraduate students. She learned how to rap and used the music for sociological purposes to teach about topics such as gender, social class, race, and violence. Dr. Yeaman did not want to just force textbook sociology on students, but instead make it relevant to their lives so they would want to learn and understand sociological norms and values.
Making the most of retirement, Dr. Yeaman now spends her time in the company of friends, gardening, cruising in her Corvette, and photographing the countryside. When asked what she hoped her legacy at Albertus will be, Dr. Yeaman said “I hope students felt that being in my classroom was a safe space to talk about sociological issues and learn from one another. It is very easy to stay in our different silos, but I hope my students can think about these concepts we discussed and see them as they go through life.”