Today: Mar 29, 2024

Anthropology Open House

Mary Katherine Belli  – Copy Editor

As registration season has already begun or is rapidly approaching for some, departments around campus are trying to garner interest in their programs. Some students are seeking to select a major, change theirs, or maybe add a minor to their studies.  

With this in mind, many departments on campus are eager to show off their courses and faculty to entice prospective students into their program. One of the departments who did this this past week was the anthropology department.  

This past Wednesday from 1:00-2:00pm, the Anthropology department held their annual open house in the Engleman building. The department hosted a lunch alongside their open house, where they offered pizza, cookies, brownies, and soda, as well as a comprehensive review of their course offerings in the coming year.  

“We invite our majors, minors, or anyone who is interested in the program,” said Doctor Michael Rogers, head of the anthropology department. “We want to bring attention to all the special courses and opportunities we offer.”  

During the open house, professors and students from the department went over their offerings for the coming semesters as well as their experiences in the department. They discussed study abroad programs, on-site archaeology studies, as well as some courses only offered every couple of years or so.  

One of the programs they went over is an archaeology study abroad program, where about nine students will be brought overseas to work on a dig site on the border of England and Wales. Over a three-week period, students will be trained and then monitored as they dig up an abandoned mass grave and study the artifacts. In addition, students will have the last weekend to themselves, so they can explore the local culture. This is a great learning opportunity, available to all students, not just anthropology majors or minors.  

Doctor Rogers also offers a more local option, with the ANT 475 Methods in Archaeology course. It is offered in the Fall and allows students to excavate a site. It also ends on October 23, so it is a short course, leaving students with more options for their Fall semester. 

One biological anthropology major, Catherine Harding, a senior, said “I’m biased, but I think we are the best department. We have amazing professors.” Although already closer to graduation, Harding wanted to attend the open house because she loves the program.  

Another student, Anthony Gambardella, an archaeology major and sophomore, fell in love with the study at a young age. He makes his own stone points, colloquially known as ‘arrowheads.’ He gathers stones from across New England, saying “a lot of the stones came from New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut. All over New England, really.”  

Gambardella brought his handmade stone points to the open house and put them on display for other students and faculty to enjoy.  

The anthropology department has loads of passionate students and professors, as well as unique class offerings. Contact the department if you are interested in a major or minor in the program, or just want to take one of their unique course offerings.   

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