Faculty Spotlight: Margaret “Peggy” Tally Ph.D., Distinguished Teaching Professor, Graduate School

Interview by Elizabeth Maxwell, graduate student and president of the Student Government Association 
 

Margaret Peggy Tally, has a Ph.D. in Sociology and an M.A. in Philosophy, both from the New School for Social Research. She also has a B.A. in government from Cornell University. She is a Distinguished Professor in the School of Graduate Studies in the Social and Public Policy Program. She started teaching at SUNY Empire State in 1993 at the Verizon Center in Brooklyn, New York. In the 1990s, SUNY Empire partnered with Verizon Telecommunications to assist employees in obtaining a college degree. Peggy is one of college’s most devoted mentors and spends as much time as possible helping her mentees. In 2002, she was awarded SUNY Empire State’s Susan H. Turben Award for Excellence in Scholarship, the college’s highest scholarship award, and in 2018 she received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She achieved the rank of full professor in 2007.  

This interview has been edited for length and clarity by Elizabeth Maxwell.  

1. How long have you worked at Empire State College, and why did you choose the college?
   Tally: I was hired in 1992 and began teaching in 1993. I started in Brooklyn, New York, at the Verizon Center and would walk around and talk to mentees when they were on breaks at work. When the workday was over, I held a study group and taught. Some students would be late; you could tell they went shopping before class at Macy’s because the Verizon Center is nearby. I was new and would go with the flow but remind them to be on time. It was an excellent opportunity for me to teach while I had a very young child and be in the same area as my husband. 
   
   
   
   
2. What has been your most rewarding and/or memorable experience?
   Tally: Working with strong students is always gratifying. It’s exciting to see people who have the skills to engage in academic work succeed. The most meaningful part of my work is working with struggling students. The most rewarding experience is seeing my students graduate, especially my struggling students. 
   
   
   
   
3. What are your hobbies/interests outside of teaching?
   Tally: I am a gym rat but not one who lifts weights. I like the gentler exercises of yoga, Pilates, and bar. I like traveling and spending time with my children, who live on two continents. One daughter lives in California, and the other moved to London. I also find reading fiction very relaxing.
   
   
   
   
4. Is there a fun or interesting fact you can share about yourself?
   Tally: I have a cousin who is a comedian, Sandra Bernhard. Another cousin Jeffery Hoffman was one of the first Jews to go into space, and I am the first female at SUNY Empire State College to become a Distinguished Teaching Professor. I was named by the SUNY Board of Trustees in 2020.
   
   
   
   
5. If you could give one piece of advice to new students, what would it be?
   Tally: Trust yourself! Listen to yourself and take yourself seriously. If it does not feel right, there is no shame in revising your education plan. A student can always come back and try again when it is right for them.
   
   
   
   
6. What do you look forward to most this Fall as we move into a new school year?
   Tally: As colleges and universities have become more and more like businesses, we find ourselves living in a time of increasing constraints. The needs of students do not always hold as much weight as they should in this business model. I have never been more proud to work with a group of people trying to deliver a high-quality education under circumstances I never thought we would have to be in. I was blown away by the students at orientation, and I am very optimistic. 
   
   
   
   
7. What is the focus of your research projects?
   Tally: I am looking at how the media portrays the accounts of friends and family relationships in the wake of Trump and how the media portrays the polarization of family and friendship groups and politics, and whether this is a significant phenomenon. Polarization existed before Trump and helps determine who people marry. Most people will not marry a person with opposite views on politics or religion, and these views are communicated to their children. When the media polarizes the notion, it creates a more significant divide. Social media is not impacting polarization as much because people who want to look at politics were already looking at like-minded views on social media before Trump.
   
   
   
   
8. What course do you prefer teaching?
   Tally: I teach six different courses. In some ways, I prefer teaching Social Policy Perspectives. It allows me to look at values, ask questions, and help students get their bearings in the graduate program.