Being shown and demonstrating Christlike care, sociology professor John Hoffmann retires after 27 years at BYU.
After 27 years at Brigham Young University, sociology professor John Hoffmann will retire in July 2026. His career has been defined by research, mentorship, and a conversion story rooted in Christlike friendship.
Hoffmann has authored 10 books, published in over a hundred journals, taught at several universities, and previously worked as a research scientist with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.
Throughout the years Hoffmann has researched adolescent health behaviors and characteristics and related topics. He also served for two years as an associate dean in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences.
He holds several degrees: a bachelor’s degree in political science from James Madison University; a master’s degree in law and justice from American University; a doctorate in criminal justice from University at Albany, SUNY; and a Master of Public Health from Emory University. After retirement, Hoffmann plans to transition into substance use disorder counseling.
The Journey Begins
Hoffmann’s journey to BYU began in June of 1998, with his baptism. At the time, he and his family were in Japan, where he was a visiting scholar at Hokkaido University, conducting research and teaching a research methods graduate course.
His wife was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and wished to raise their children in the church. So, for nearly a decade, Hoffmann attended church with his family.
Being in Japan ultimately led to his decision to be baptized. While there, he took note of the actions of church members, attending church with a small branch that met in a former fish market. He was impressed by their incredible example as members of a Christian church in a place where spiritual practices take the forefront.
Missionaries had taught him over the years, but one companionship left a lasting impression, one missionary with a very eccentric attitude, and the other who Hoffmann connected with was mild-mannered.
“I listened to him, he was someone who I had nice talks with, and he was the one who ended up baptizing me,” Hoffmann says.
The humble devotion of the members, along with his wife’s patience and lack of pressure and a home teacher who showed him friendship and kindness, helped him decide it was time to be baptized.
The Way to BYU
After his baptism, Hoffmann and his family moved to Virginia where he conducted full-time research, but he felt drawn to return to academia. While in that area, he happened to meet a friend of a friend who taught in BYU’s sociology department.
He told Hoffmann that the sociology department was going to have a job opening, and the announcement of the opening came in September of the same year. Hoffmann applied that fall, received the job offer a few months later, and moved to Utah with his family.
Building Connections Through Mentorship
At BYU, Hoffmann has come to treasure the connections he’s made with students and faculty. He enjoys sharing his conversion story with students and following their personal journeys.
Cambria Hayes, a research assistant from Draper, Utah double majoring in sociology and Spanish, feels that Hoffmann is “the greatest mentor and the greatest friend at BYU.”
“Dr. Hoffmann is one of the smartest people in the world, but he doesn’t ever make you feel like he knows more than you,” she says.
While helping Hayes on her submission for the Mary Lou Fulton Mentored Student Research Conference, he guided her through the research process, allowing her to make key decisions, such as collaborating on the research question.
“He guided me, but he didn’t do it all, but he also didn’t leave me out to dry,” she says.
It’s All About the Students
When it comes to finding out what is going on in students’ lives and seeing where life takes them after graduation, Hoffmann describes himself as a bit “nosy”.
Taryn Frerichs, a sociology major and senior from Spokane, Washington and one of his TAs, says that Hoffmann keeps in touch with former students by commenting on their LinkedIn posts. They converse with friendly jokes, and she hopes to invite Hoffmann to her weddingsomeday. To her, he’s the kind of professor she wants to stay in touch with after she graduates.
“He’s taught me not to take things too seriously, and that things will work out how they should,” Frerichs says.
Hoffmann has published many works, including a book on data analysis that has been foundational for sociology. However, throughout his research and teaching, he maintains a focus on student relationships, rather than his accomplishments.
“There are just so many wonderful experiences you have with students — getting to know them and learning their stories,” he says.
To connect with or learn more about John Hoffmann, read his faculty profile here.