Department of Anthropology

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Learn more about what our graduates have done by reading the Alumni Spotlights

Graduate School Acceptances

Careers: Types of Jobs Our Students Hold with an Anthropology Degree

Dear Alumni: Please send updates to smithtj2@appstate.edu so that we may keep track of your accomplishments throughout the years! 
 

2020

• Liv Winnicki has been accepted with a full funding package into the Ph.D. in Anthropology Program at Binghamton University.

2019

• Mikayla Absher has been accepted into the Ph.D. in Anthropology Program at Tulane University with a full graduate research assistantship. 
• Elizabeth Eppley has landed a position with Americorps working in Santa Fe, NM with the Community Learning Network. She will be working with a network that provides education and opportunities to school students, adults, local businesses and other agencies. 
• Patrick James has been accepted into the M.A. in Latin American Studies Program at the University of Florida with a full graduate research assistantship.
• Mackenzie Morgan is Youth Engagement and Garden Coordinator for City Schoolyard Garden in Charlottesville, VA. This organization works to cultivate academic achievement, health, environmental stewardship, equity, and community engagement through garden-based experiential learning and leadership development for Charlottesville youth. 
• Anna Rawls has been accepted into the M.A. in New Media Photojournalism Program at George Washington University with a Dean's Fellowship Award.
• Bri Rodgers has been accepted into the M.A. in Library and Information Science Program at the University of Iowa with a full graduate research assistantship. 

2018

• Kelsi Dunman has been accepted to the Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library and Information Studies Program at the University of British Columbia. 
• Evangeline Giaconia has been accepted into the M.A. Program in Museum Studies at the University of Florida with a full funding package.  View Evangeline's alumni spotlight.
• Catherine Herring has been accepted to the graduate program in anthropology/archaeology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Catherine was previously an archaeological technician for the Archaeological and Historical Conservancy in Davie, FL.
• Christian Huerta has been accepted to the Geographic Information Systems Certificate Program at the University of Central Florida. Previously, Christian was a political organizer for the Sunrise Movement in Orlando, which focuses on climate change education.
• Autumn Melby has been accepted to the Ph.D. in Archaeology Program at the University of Pennsylvania with full funding. She is also the recipient of a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.
• Nicholas Vamvakias has been accepted into the M.A. Program in Cultural Heritage at the University of Maryland with funding. 

2017

• Cala Castleberry successfully defended her M.A. in Archaeology thesis, "We are the Land: TCP (Traditional Cultural Property) Nominations, Activism, Politics, and Law" at Northern Arizona University. Previously, Cala completed an archaeology and GIS internship with the National Park Service. View Cala's alumni spotlight (with colleague, Haley Wynn '17).
• Emma Jones has been accepted into the M.A. in Archaeology Program at Simon Fraser University. After graduating from Appalachian, she completed a highly competitive archaeology internship at the Center for American Archaeology in Kampsville, IL.
• Olivia Kimes has been accepted to a Ph.D. program at the University of Colorado, Boulder with a full-funding package. 
• Victoria Olender has been accepted to the Law Program (J.D.) at Emory University with a funding package.
• Sarah Snouse has been accepted to the M.S. in Global Health Program at Duke University.
• Jordan Van Cleave has been accepted to Vermont Law School to pursue a degree in environmental law.
• Erin Williams has been accepted to the M.A. in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures Program at Tel Aviv University.

2016

• Kelsey Adams has been accepted to the M.A. program in anthropology and museum training at George Washington University with a GWU Dean's Fellowship.
• Millicent Bean has been accepted to the M.A. In Student Affairs in Higher Education Program at Missouri State University with a graduate assistantship and scholarship.
• Jennie Flowers has been accepted into the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program at Western Carolina University.
• Meg LeMoine has been accepted to the M.A. in American Studies Program at Bowling Green State University with a graduate assistantship and scholarship.
• Rebecca Long has been accepted to the dual Ph.D. program in Anthropology and Gerontology at Purdue University with a full funding package. Rebecca's research will center on the sensory experiences of older autistic adults in addressing issues of caregiving and disability justice. They also received a $6,000 NSF Research Experience for Graduate Students Award. 
• Ross Miller has been accepted to the M.A. in Public Anthropology program at American University.
• Rosemary Ott has been accepted into the Ph.D. in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations Program at the University of Toronto after completing her M.A. at the University of Chicago in Middle Eastern Studies.
• Alexa Wood is an AmeriCorps VISTA for Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and Metro Community Provider Network to build capacity for programs helping people experiencing homelessness in Denver, Colorado. 

2015

• Shannon Clark has been accepted to the Ph.D. in Anthropology Program at American University. She previously received her M.A. in Public Anthropology through American's Masters International Program (this program combines graduate study with Peace Corps service). Her honor's thesis at Appalachian State was entitled, "Native Land Foreign Capital: A Historical Study and Anthropological Analysis" grew out of fieldwork she undertook in Native Alaska and is the basis for her interest in public anthropology.
• Jarre Hamilton has been accepted to the Ph.D. in Anthropology Program (concentration in archaeology) at the University of California at Berkeley with a George Foster and Mary LeCron Fellowship. 
• Kelsey Rothenberg has been accepted to the Physician Assistant program at Duke University. 
• Timothy Shober has been accepted to the Master in Public Administration program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 
• Parker Smith is the Trans Outreach Worker at Time Out Youth in Charlotte, NC. They also hope to start graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
• Nichole Wagner was hired as the District Archaeologist for the Croatan National Forest and Uwharrie National Forest. NC.

2014

• Kelly Elaine Blevins has been accepted to the MSc Program in Paleopathology at Durham University. Her honors thesis was entitled, "An Analysis of Osseous and Dentral Stress Markers at Inamgaon."
• Jennifer Cottle has been accepted to the M.A. in Archaeological Excavations Program at University College, Cork.
• Brittany Gilley has been accepted into the M.S./Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Science Program at the University of Maine with a full graduate reserach assistantship.
• Amie Goerlich has been accepted to the MSc Program in Osteoarchaeology at Bournemouth University.
• Joshua Goodwin has been accepted to the Ph.D .Program in Anthropology at the University of Florida to study the material remains of pre-Columbian peoples of southeastern North America. His honors thesis was entitled, "An Archaeological Survey of Rockshelters within the Grandfather Mountain Attraction Area, Avery County, North Carolina."
• Ashely Green has been accepted to the University of Bradford where she will be pursuing her MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Investigation. She was also accepted to graduate programs at Bournemouth University, Durham University, the University of Sheffield, and the University of Edinburgh.
• Sarah Perry has accepted the position of Extension EFNEP Program Assistant (Adult and Youth) in Sanford, NC. View Sarah's alumni spotlight. 
• Dan Polito is District Archaeologist for the Shoal Creek Ranged District, Alabama. He previously was in the M.A. in Anthropology Program at the University of Idaho with a full ride and teaching assistantship. The title of his Honor's Thesis was "The Geophysical Search for Camp Mast" at Appalachian State.

2013

• Abby Bishop is Public Outreach Organizer with the North Carolina Conservation Network, a statewide network of more than 90 environmental, community, and environmental justice organizations focused on protecting North Carolina's environment and public health.
• Hugh Bowman has been accepted to University College London for the MSc in GIS and Spatial Analysis in Archaeology Program. He has also been hired by the Center for Archaeological Research at the College of William and Mary as a field technician.
• Alexandra Drebitko is pursuing her M.S. in Counseling with a Concentration in Clinical Mental Health at the University of Southern Maine. She was previously a research assistant for Nature Magazine in Washington, D.C.
• Jamie Jones was accepted to and is currently in the M.A. in Public History Program at New Mexico State University.
• Caroline Noel has been accepted to the Ph.D. in Anthropology Program at the University of Virginia with a full graduate research assistantship. Caroline is also the recipient of a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.
• Michael Story has been accepted to the Master of Nonprofit Studies (MNpS) Program at Arizona State University.

2012

• Elizabeth Campanello completed her accelerated B.S. in Nursing degree at Winston-Salem State University with generous funding by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center where she is planning to work upon graduation.
• Caroline Federal was selected as an Americas Program Intern at The Carter Center, founded by President Jimmy Carter, after graduating from ASU. She wrote briefings for President Carter and senior staff on issues concerning peace and democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean. She then went on to be a Directors Intern for the Clinton Global Initiative, founded by President Bill Clinton and later as Logistics Coordinator for which she was responsible for working with high-ranking diplomats from around the world and at the United Nations. She then pursued a graduate degree at the London School of Economics (LSE). In 2016, she was awarded the "Best Dissertation Prize" for her thesis in the Comparative Politics program at the LSE. After working at Solve, Inc. program at MIT, she is now Senior Manager for Innovation Engagement, Fidelity Investments. 
• Kelsey Gaude completed her M.A. in Sustainability at Wake Forest University in 2016. She now works at Arizona State University as a Program Manager in the Zero Waste Department. 
• Molly Hagan was accepted into the M.A. in Anthropology program at the University of Denver with a focus on Museum and Heritage Studies. She was previously a consultant for HistoryIT. 
• Molly Hansen (minor) received her M.A. in Latin American Studies at Tulane University. She is now a marketing associate for Latin American titles at Oxford University Press.
• Larisa Kenney has been admitted to the M.A. in School Counseling Program (with a certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy) at Appalachian State University.
• James Mowdy received his J.D. from the College of Law at Arizona State University with a full ride. He also received a scholarship to attend the American Indian Legal Center's Pre-Law Summer Institute. He has taken a position as a Government & Legislative Affairs Associate with the Navajo Nation Washington, D.C. Office.
• Caitlin Patton received her M.A. in Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University. 
  

2011

• Jesse Berkowitz has been accepted into the Accelerated BS in Nursing Program at Johns Hopkins University.
• Lori Demosthenes has been accepted into the M.S. in Geology Program at the University of Georgia.
• Nathanael Fosåen has been accepted into the M.A. in Anthropology Program at the University of Arkansas with a full ride and teaching assistantship. He will be concentrating on archaeofaunal analysis and the Archaic Period of the Ozark region.
• Kimberly Howell has been a key staff member at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a member institution of the University of North Carolina, holding the positions of Student Life Instructor, Residence Life Assistant Co-Coordinator, and Online Residential Coordinator. She was accepted into the MEd program at North Carolina State University for Higher Education Administration.
• Amanda Lei Perron has been hired as the Palmyra Program Coordinator for the Nature Conservancy, Hawai'i
• Samantha Salter has been accepted into the M.A. in Anthropology Program at Iowa State University. She received a Graduate Student Travel Award for International Study in Sustainable Livelihoods for her thesis research in Kedougou, Senegal.
• Rebecca Stecky has been accepted into the Ph.D. in Biological Sciences Program at Columbia University with full funding.
• Karen Stevens has been accepted into the graduate program in anthropology at the University of Kentucky with a teaching assistantship.

2010

• Alexis Baracca has been accepted by the JET program (The Japan and Exchange Teaching Programme) and will be leaving for Japan in July, 2010.
• Katherine D. Blankenship has been accepted to the Master of Divinity Program at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. She plans to focus on youth and mission work through the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
• Sarah Bolick has been accepted into a dual degree program for which she will pursue a Master of Social Work from the University of Chicago and MA from the Lutheran School of Theology.
• Celeste Cole received her Master of Social Work degree from Aurora University in 2015. She is a LICSW (licensed independent clinical social worker) and a geriatric mental health specialist. She conducts mental health assessments, provides consultations to therapists that work with geriatric  clients, and does therapy. In the summer of 2019, she completed yoga teacher training and is now a RYT200, teaching a class weekly. Currently, she is in herbal school learning how to use native Pacific Northwest plants medicinally. 
• Lori Epstein has been accepted to the University of Sheffield's MSc Program in Human Osteology and Funerary Archaeology as well as to the University of Central Florida's MA Program in Anthropology.
• Christine Kirby has been accepted into the Ph.D. Program at SUNY- Albany. She is currently a project coordinator at the University of North Carolina where she is researching HIV medication adherence for the purpose of creating surveys that physicians can administer to patients to predict compliance. She received her M.A. in Applied Linguistics (with Distinction) from Northern Arizona University in 2012.
• Hannah Minick has been accepted into the Masters of Social Work Program at Western Carolina University with a graduate assistantship.
• Qaitlin B. Peterson received her MSW from the University of Michigan. She is Associate Director of Family Support Services at Carolina Youth Development Center.
• Suzanne Omran (nee McKinney) is Director of International Student and Scholar Services at the University of Southern Mississippi.Previously, she was at Southeast Missouri State University as their Assistant Director of International Programming, where she worked with the international student population to increase programming and opportunities for cultural exchange to enhance campus and community life. 
• Holly Ritchie (nee Drake) married Thomas Ritchie and moved back to South Carolina where she is the Educational Director of The Dental Assisting Training School of South Carolina.
• Daniel Smith has been accepted to the MA Program in Anthropology and Cultural Heritage at the University of Montana.

2009

• Terry Barbour has been accepted to the PhD in Anthropology Program (concentration in archaeology) at the University of Florida with an Alumni Fellowship. He received an MA in Anthropology from Eastern Carolina University in 2015.
• Amanda Brown has been accepted into the BSN Program at King College.
• Beth Compton received her MSc in Archaeological Information Systems at the University of York ('12) studying computer networking, data management, collaboration, and public outreach. She has been accepted into the Ph.D. Program in Anthropology at the University of Western Ontario with full funding via a Trillium Scholarship.
• Natalie Dale has been accepted into the M.A. Program in Public History at Appalachian State University. Her goal is to pursue a career as either a curator or collections manager of a national museum.
• Brittany Glarrow is pursuing her Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She plans on studying human reproduction and the effects of globalization on maternal and child health.
• Kelsey Gray has been accepted into the MSc Program in Dental and Skeletal Bioarchaeology at University College, London.
• Alex Hooker is an adjunct instructor in the Appalachian Studies Program at Appalachian State University.
• Kacie Miner has been accepted into the MS Program in Forensic Anthropology at Michigan State University.
• Summer Thyme Shetenhelm (minor) was Assistant Professor at Kyungnam University in South Korea from 2012-2014 where she taught English conversation, grammar, and writing. 
• Fotini Spero received her M.A. in Anthropology from the University at Albany, SUNY.
• Taylor Wall has been accepted into the Masters of Social Work Program at Winthrop University.
• Zara Saine is the Visitor Services Coordinator at the Catawba County Museum of History.

2008

• Anna Donlan (minor) has been accepted into the Masters of Arts Program in Advertising with a concentration in Art Direction at the University of Texas at Austin. Her goal is to be a creative director that makes conscious art and advertising campaigns that focus on women's empowerment, local businesses, and pro-environment policies.
• Jamie Hager has been accepted into the PhD Program in History at Ohio State University.
• Anita Kinney has been accepted into SIT Graduate Institute of Brattleboro, Vermont for the M.A. Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management, specializing in Social Justice in Intercultural Relations. Combined with this program, she will be volunteering with the Peace Corps. Classes begin September of 2010, her Peace Corps service will begin in 2011. She has been volunteering with AmeriCorps tutoring and building community relations with English language learners in her hometown of Burlington, NC. 
• Andy Kruse is working on his M.A. in Anthropology at Colorado State University.

2007

• Daryl Armour has been accepted into the Master's Program in Anthropology at East Carolina University. He will be focusing on prehistoric Southeastern Native American settlement patterns and has hopes to expand his career in Cultural Resource Management.
• Rebecca Carew is currently finishing up her MA in Communication & Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
• Matt Irish is finishing up his M.A. in Bioarchaeology at University College, London.
• Sarah Kindschuh received her M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida in 2009 and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Binghamton University (SUNY). Since starting graduate school, she has spent three field seasons excavating at two different sites in Egypt. Through a competitive fellowship, she has also worked at the Central Identification Laboratory at Joint Pearl Harbor-Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. 
• Abigail Reaves is a labor and delivery nurse/doula.

2006

• Sierra Bell is pursuing her Ph.D. in sociocultural anthropology at Yale University. She intends to research forms of knowledge that circulate throughout the political right in the U.S., focusing on the relationship between media of mass communication and grassroots activism.
• Angela Henderson has been accepted into the postgraduate program in Celtic studies at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Her main areas of interest are Gaelic Language and Celtic Mythology.
• Julia Lindley was accepted into the graduate program at the University of Sheffield, England.
• Jamie Minns is finishing up her M.S. in forensic anthropology at Michigan State University.
• Liz Brandt finished her Masters in Forensic anthropology at Texas State in May '09 and currently holds a fellowship at the JPAC Forensic Science Academy in Honolulu, HI. She was recently accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville and will start her studies in the fall of 2011. 

2005

• Alexis Hammersen received her M.A. in 2007 from the Department of History at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology at Bangor University in Wales. She recently published "Via Raetia: A Roman Road in the Alps." The Ancient World, Vol. 40, no. 2 (2009): 164-185.
• Stephanie Hall is in the Master's Program in Public Health at Morehouse School of Medicine in Georgia.
• Caroline Ketron is completing her M.A. degree in Anthropology/Archaeology at the University of Wyoming.
• Andrew Sinclair received his MA. in International Affairs from Columbia University in 2007 and is currently working for the U.S. Agency for International Development in eastern Afghanistan.
• Tenina Stallings received her M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin in 2007.

2004

• Nick Jarman is ABD at the University of New Mexico. His Ph.D. research is on hunter-gatherer use of montane environments in the Southwest. Current research projects include investigation of rock shelters in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, ice patch archaeology in Wrangell-St. Elias and Lake Clark National Parks, and analysis of perishable artifacts from Philmont Scout Ranch.

2003

• Katherine Bryant completed a M.A. in Liberal Studies at Duke University with Certificates in African & African American Studies, Women's Studies, and Nonprofit Management (Duke University Continuing Studies) in 2007. She also received an MSPH in Health Policy and Management and a Global Health Certificate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2010.
• Doug Sain is completing his M.A. in Archaeology at Eastern New Mexico University.

2002

• David J. Cranford is Assistant State Archaeologist for North Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in Archaeology/Anthropology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill after having received his M.A. in 2007 from the University of Oklahoma. His dissertation research was an archaeological examination of community organization and household variability within the Catawba Indian Nation of South Carolina during the late 18th century (ca. 1760 – 1800). 
• Hannah Warfield has been working as a landscape historian, gardener, and tour guide at the Tuckahoe Plantation on the James River in Virginia, where Thomas Jefferson lived as a child.
• Julie Shepard was accepted at the University of Kentucky.

2001

• Noah Porter earned his MA ('03) and Ph.D. ('07) in Anthropology from the University of South Florida. He was the inaugural recipient of the Michael V. Angrosino Research Achievement Award in recognition of his single-authored paper published in the journal Nova Religio. He is currently a market research analyst with U.S. Pharmacopeia. He was previously a consultant at the World Bank.
• Beth Uselton worked for Americorps for several years after graduation.

2000

• Wendy Welsh is Conservator for the Queen Anne's Revenge Shipwreck project, N.C. Office of State Archaeology.

1998

• Joe Candillo received his M.A.in American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona and Ph.D. in American Studies/Indigenous Studies at University at Buffalo, SUNY. He is founder and owner of Authentic Native American Arts, LLC.
• Jon Carter received his M.A. in Anthropology from Louisiana State University. He then received his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Columbia University in 2012. He is an assistant professor of anthropology at Appalachian State University.
• Matthew Compton is on the verge of completing his Ph.D. in Archaeology at the University of Georgia.

1997

• Christopher Moore Graduating from Appalachian with a B.S. in Anthropology in 1997, Chris attended East Carolina University where he received an M.A. in Anthropology (2000). Upon completing the M.A. program, Chris was accepted as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education (ORISE), Research Fellow in Postgraduate Environmental Management at the Fort Bragg Cultural Resources Management Program. After completing the Ph.D. program at ECU, Chris was hired by the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program (SRARP) as a research archaeologist and public outreach coordinator. In his position with the SRARP, Chris splits his time conducting educational outreach and research activities and has worked to integrate outreach with research and publication by training local volunteers to assist in fieldwork and lab analysis.
• Russ Quick (History) is on the verge of completing his Ph.D. in Archaeology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

1994

• Dr. William Schumann III was Director of the Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University. After graduating, he went on to earn his MA in Political Science and MA in Appalachian Studies from ASU before completing his PhD in Anthropology at the University of Florida in 2005.

1993

• Michael Swaim received his MA in Geography from UNCG in 2002. He now works (telecommutes) for aWhere, Inc. where he has supported GIS and mapping projects for a number of organizations including (among others) USAID, the World Food Promgramme, UN Foundation and a variety of businesses in the area of consumer packaged good. During his time at aWhere, he has taught Geographic Information Science and Intro to Cartography at UNCG and plans on doing so again when he has the time. He currently resides in Greensboro, NC with his wife Donna (ASU Psychology graduate) and daughter Tara.

1992

• Dr. David Kilby received an MA from Eastern New Mexico University and a PhD from the University of New Mexico. He is currently an Associate Professor at Texas State University and Director of the Ancient Southwest Texas project. His research interests are focused on the Ice Age archaeology of North America, the American Southwest, stone tools, and geoarchaeology.
• Caleb Smith received his MA in Anthropology from the University of Arkansas in 1995. He has been happily employed as an "Archaeologist II" with the North Carolina Department of Transportation in Raleigh since 2001.

1991

• Dr. Katherine "Kappy" Mickelson (nee Robinson), Adjunct Professor of Archaeology, University of Memphis.
• Samuel Mizelle graduated with a degree in General Anthropology and a minor in Sociology. He is a Cultural Resource Specialist with the University of Alabama Museums at Moundville.

1990

• Marcus Royal graduated with a General Anthropology degree and a minor in political science. He currently lives and works in Boone, N.C.

1986

• Nancy Mithlo received her PhD in Anthropology from Stanford University in 1993. She is Associate Professor of Art History and American Indian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

1985

• John J. Mintz Is State Archaeologist for the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology.

1983

• Dr. Linda Reed-Jerofke went on to earn her MA and PhD degrees from the University of Oregon. She is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Eastern Oregon University. She has spent the last 20 years teaching anthropology and/or working as an applied anthropologist with indigenous groups in North America and as an archaeologist. Her publications have focused on indigenous peoples, nutritional anthropology, and archaeology. She also currently serves as the Coordinator of the Native American Studies minor and sits on a number of local boards (United Way of Eastern Oregon and the Northeast Oregon AHEC).

1971

• Susan Dianne Little received her Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December 2010. Little has devoted 40 years to public education in North Carolina, having served as an English teacher at Alexander Central High School in Taylorsville from 1971-1995 and as Assistant Principal and Principal of Newton-Conover High School in Newton from 1996 until her retirement in 2001. Currently, she is the Director of the Phillips Leadership Institute at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. Little was a member of the Alpha Chi and Kappa Delta Pi honor societies at ASU and Phi Kappa Phi at UNC-C.