Professor
Sociology
Office
Ebenezer D. Bassett Hall
317-07
Education
Sociology and Political Science (Double Major)
Northwestern University
1988
Areas of Expertise
- Organizational Justice and Workplace Fairness
- Italian American Culture and Identity
- Route 66 in Popular Culture
- Experiential Learning and its Assessment
- Sport Franchise Relocation
- Sport Spectator Motivation and Behavior
- Involuntary Disengagement from Sport
- Sport and Disaster
- Qualitative Research Methodology
Publications, Research & Presentations
Dr. Mitrano has published over a dozen peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in the areas of sport in society, experiential education, and Italian Americana, as well as 125 book reviews in these areas and several others. Additionally, he has presented his research findings at 65 professional association conferences in the U.S. and abroad since 1990.
He has served as a principal research investigator on numerous local, state, and federal grant-funded projects as well as several pro-bono research endeavors. They include:
• "Program Assessment, National Italian American Foundation 'Voyage of Discovery Program'", Washington, DC, 2017-2022.
• “Comprehensive Program Assessment: Levels of Satisfaction and Interest in Future Programming Among Members and Perceived Barriers to Participation Among Non-Members.” New Britain Senior Center, City of New Britain, 2014-15.
• “Assessment of Residential Satisfaction and Future Housing Interests.” Newington Housing Committee, Town of Newington, 2014-15.
• "The Most Literate Cities in America," CCSU Center for Social Research, 2005-2014.
• Connecticut Main Street Center, “Rental Housing Preferences, Potential Clientele, Perceived Barriers, and Marketing Strategies: Assessment and Recommendations”, 2014.
• “Evaluation of the uCONN Program,” State of Connecticut Library System, 2006-2007.
• “Survey and Creation of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Regional Communications Database,” Capitol Region Council of Governments, 2007.
• “Residential Energy Assistance Challenge/New Britain (REACH/NB),” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003-2007.
• U.S. Federal Election Assistance Commission “Help America Vote Act” (HAVA), 2004-2005.
• “Citizen Satisfaction Survey—Town of Manchester, CT", 2004-2005.
• “Evaluation of the West Indies Institute for Hospitality and Tourism", 2004.
• “Redistribution Plan for Funding to Town Libraries,” State of Connecticut Library, 2004.
• “Feasibility Study of a Hispanic Entrepreneurial Business Center,” Central Connecticut State University, 2004.
• “Focus Group Study of Perceptions of and Satisfaction with Connecticut Town Clerks,” Connecticut Town Clerks Association, 2004.
• “H.U.D. Small Cities Grant Funding Eligibility Study,” Borough of Naugatuck, CT, 2002-2003.
• “H.U.D. Small Cities Grant Funding Eligibility Study,” Town of Newington, 2002.
• “Assessment of Barriers to Philanthropic Donation”, CCSU Alumni Office, 2002.
• “Assessment of Graduate and Undergraduate Student Satisfaction,” CCSU Department of Criminal Justice, 2002.
• “Town Satisfaction Survey,” Town of Newington, CT 2000-2001.
Dr. Mitrano’s current research projects include the following:
- An examination of the socially-constructed meanings attached to "Route 66”, the fabled road which extends from Chicago to Los Angeles. The research is based on over 200 oral histories and interviews that he, his colleague Dr. Bruce Day, and CCSU student participants of the Route 66 Summer Field Studies Program conducted with artists, authors, musicians, preservationists, historians, business owners, and domestic and international travelers;
- An examination of the ethnic identity formation process among Italian-Americans, and the role that heritage and cultural tourism programs play in this process;
- A study of the longitudinal financial, occupational, and educational attainment of CCSU Sociology alumni;
- Assessment of experiential and service-learning programs in Sociology.
Dr. Mitrano welcomes students and faculty with similar interests to contact him for possible collaborative opportunities.
Awards & Grants
Throughout his career at CCSU, Dr. Mitrano has been recognized by students and colleagues alike for his teaching. He was named a Finalist (1997), a Semi-Finalist (1998, 1999, 2000), and then the Winner (2001) of CCSU’s prestigious “Excellence in Teaching” Award.
In a constant effort to improve his teaching and create new course offerings for his students, Dr. Mitrano has been awarded 22 different CCSU Summer Curriculum Grants during his tenure at the university. Additionally, he has received 18 CCSU grants for Faculty Development; 20 CSU-AAUP grants for Research; 5 CSU-System grants for Learning, Assessment, and Improvement; 2 Dean's Research Initiative grants; 2 Diversity Curriculum Development grants; a CSU-System Innovation grant; a Retention and Graduation grant from the Office of the Provost; and a grant from the Academic Affairs Innovation Fund.
Finally, in his role as chairman of the Department of Sociology, he was awarded the "2002 Budget Manager of the Year" award for fiscal responsibility.
Memberships & Affiliations
Dr. Mitrano has held memberships in a variety of professional associations over the years, including the Italian American Studies Association; the American Sociological Association; the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction; the Southwest Oral History Association; the National Society for Experiential Education; the Oral History Association; the National Social Science Association; the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport; the American Men's Studies Association; and the Popular Culture Association.
Courses Taught
Since his arrival to CCSU in 1994, Dr. Mitrano has created and taught a wide variety of courses for the department. They include: Introduction to Sociology; Social Problems; Minorities and Social Inequality; Contemporary Social Theory; The Social Construction of Self and Society; Research Methods; Qualitative Analysis; Sociology of Sport; Organizations, Occupations, and Work; Ads, Fads, and Consumer Culture; Men, Masculinity, and Manhood in America; Community Internship Seminar; Route 66 Field Studies Program; Introduction to Urban Studies; Love, Lust, and Sexual Attraction; Introduction to American Studies; Oral History for the Social Sciences; Sociology of Emotions; Community Research Methods; Sociology Through Documentary; Sociology of Children and Childhood; and has directed numerous “Independent Studies” of interest to students.
Dr. Mitrano also has led or co-led several Study Abroad trips while at CCSU. They have included: Brazil (2002), Egypt (2008), Italy (2010), South Africa (2011), Amsterdam (2011), and Prague/Vienna (2012). Additionally, he and colleague Dr. Bruce Day created a domestic travel-study opportunity (“The Route 66 Field Studies Program”) which was offered in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012. The program has been nationally-recognized for its contribution to the collection of oral history along Route 66, extending from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Most recently, Dr. Mitrano attained certification from Socratic Seminars International for use of the Socratic Method in the college classroom, and earned his Certificate in Experiential Education from the National Society for Experiential Education for the use and administration of this pedagogical approach at the university level.