Liberal Arts Major: Anthropology
Liberal Arts Minor: Middle East Studies
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Current Location: Columbia, MD
What enrichment activities did you participate in as a student?
As a student, I completed my honors research thesis on movie literacy and stereotype development. I also supported a biological anthropology lab that looked at identifying genotypes for a number of characteristics, and I studied abroad in Egypt looking at both archaeology and social anthropology.
What was your first job after graduating from Penn State?
I went to grad school right after graduation at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and earned my doctorate in social anthropology. I spent about a year of that time living in Damascus, Syria.
Who was your favorite faculty member?
Dr. Paul Durrenberger was my favorite professor, and I don't think there was a class with him that I didn't enjoy.
How did your liberal arts education and skills prepare you for life after graduation?
The ability to learn quickly and think critically are very much skills that are part of the liberal arts approach to education and those have been invaluable in my career. Second to that are communication and the ability to do rigorous qualitative analysis. My jobs have varied widely, and I do almost no anthropology now per se, but those skills are things I use every day on the job.
What networking advice would you share with current students?
About half of my jobs since graduating have come via networking. It was even important for getting into grad school—I developed a relationship with a professor I wanted to work with while I was still an undergrad, and it made the application process much smoother.
What role have mentors played in your career progression?
They've been great for giving advice and especially perspective. Some of them have opened doors for me to new jobs or to new roles in a workplace. They've also been a strong source of support when I just needed someone to listen to and help me understand my work problems.