Riley Peterson
Sociology of Religion
Education
B.A., Religion with a minor in Church Music, Baylor University, 2023
Biography
Riley began studying sociology as an undergraduate when he wrote his honors thesis, “Education and Capstone Marriage.” With the help of his thesis mentor, Dr. Jeremy Uecker, Riley analyzed data regarding young adults’ criteria for marital readiness, and how these attitudes tend to change over time and across education trajectory. The thesis won Baylor’s F. Ray Wilson Award for the 2022 Outstanding Thesis in the Social Sciences.
Riley’s research interests include the influence of individualism in religion, culture, and politics, as well as recent changes in marriage and family formation patterns in the US. He hopes to one day become a professor of sociology and advocate for federal reforms in education policy.