Marcus Donaldson

Marcus Donaldson is a Sociology Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University and a doctoral research associate at the BRIDGS Initiative. 

His research examines corporate philanthropy and racial equity, focusing on how NBA Foundation-funded nonprofit organizations operate within Black communities and how “impact” is defined, experienced, and communicated by participating youth. His work also explores processes of social contagion—how individual behavioral shifts within youth programs may influence peers, siblings, and broader social networks—highlighting forms of impact that extend beyond direct program participants. By centering the perspectives of Black youth and local stakeholders, his research critically analyzes how dominant evaluation frameworks shape, and at times constrain, what counts as social value in community investment.

Marcus’s methodological expertise includes qualitative research design, in-depth interviewing, and internet-mediated research, with a broader focus on the sociological analysis of race and racism in the United States. 

Marcus is a member of the American Sociological Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His work has been published in AZ Central and International Migration Review.