Internships Make a World of Difference
Anthropology Degree
International
Student Club Activities
Presenting Papers at Conferences
Internships Make a World of Difference
By Natalie Flores, Anthropology Major, Class of 2007
Have you ever had a job you’ve always wanted to try? I have dreamed of working at a museum, since I was a little girl. Through the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, I was able to participate in an internship that helped me achieve that goal. As McNair scholars, we were encouraged to conduct a second research project at another institution after our initial original research project. I found an internship online, but I had missed the deadline.
Then, I found the Research Experience for Undergraduates at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, a summer program.
Natalie Flores happily working on her research.
Not only was this in a field I was always fascinated and curious about, it was a paid internship! I was uncertain because I had a part-time job. I can’t believe I hesitated, but eventually, I took a leave of absence from my job and I was on my way. My job at the museum was to analyze the ceramics of the Ancestral Pueblo or Anasazi in eastern Arizona. I thought, “Can I do this?” then, “I can’t do this”; eventually, though, my thoughts turned into, “I’m actually getting it!”
During lunch, I would walk around the museum that I visited as a young girl. This was the realization of a childhood dream. I was immersed in the environment through staff meetings, grant writing, and the day-to-day grunt work that comes along with any field or workplace. I was no longer in the clouds. Now, I won’t be in shock if I ever do decide to work in a museum again. I was able to see what actual work people in Anthropology and its varying sub-fields actually do.
Not only did I experience a new field, I know definitively that I am capable of working in a research environment and doing well. As an observer, I was able to realize the many options that are out there, and that I only have to seek them out to make them a reality for me. I realized that the anxiety that comes with presentations, and now the possibilities of grad school and research, are no longer intimidating. This internship made a world of difference in my academic and upcoming professional career.
Anthropology Degree
Ever since I chose anthropology as my major I have been bombarded with the ever-pressing question of “What are you going to do with that?” This question has been so difficult to answer not because there are limited options, but because the possibilities are so limitless. While there are plenty of careers available to the “active” anthropologist, I have personally chosen to use my knowledge and experience gained through my degrees in anthropology as a foundation for my future career as a practitioner of Oriental medicine.
As an anthropologist I will be able to have a fuller and more meaningful interaction with my patients by understanding them through their cultural ideals and value and not just through their symptoms. Using the tools I learned from CSUF, I will also promote education and health awareness to patients from all walks of life. Grants writing in particular will come in very handy during the arduous task of health insurance reform. I know that my study of anthropology will make me a better doctor, and, to me, that makes all the difference between a career and a life-fulfilling experience.
I have cherished my time in the anthropology department at Cal State Fullerton, and know that I am fully prepared for the exciting path that lies ahead.
Sincerely,
Jamie Drain
I
have had countless wonderful experiences while pursuing my educational
career at CSUF. Several experiences stand out as exceptional.
First, I worked closely with our late professor, Armand Labbe, conducting research at the Bower’s Museum and in conjunction with a student museum sciences team who presented the exhibit in the Teaching Museum: Resolving Conflict: Living and Dying in New Guinea
I then recall I had the opportunity to work on my internship at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. This provided me with a fulfilling educational experience that exceeded my wildest expectations. I find it difficult to put into words all of the wonderful feelings and experiences I had the opportunity to observe, smell, feel, hear, and touch while doing my work at Tucker. I can proudly say my year of field work efforts culminated in the production of the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Trail Plant Guide.
Recently, this past year has provided me with many other exhilarating opportunities to further my investigations of traditional subsistence patterns, hunter-gatherers, seed-saving, food acquisition and production, exchange and food sharing, including the preservation of traditional agricultural knowledge systems.
Reflecting on my field work researching community gardening interactions and heirloom seed distribution, I have discovered that participant observation definitively enhances the many joys of celebrating cultural diversity.
These experiences and many others reinforce the deep appreciation I have for the entire faculty of the CSUF Anthropology department. Every professor I have been fortunate to work with has displayed an unending reserve of guidance, patience, encouragement and dedication. I feel extremely grateful for having the opportunity to be a graduate student in the CSUF Anthropology department.
--Jimmie L. Payton
International
Field
School in the Solomon Islands / Glorified Vacation:
To some people I will present my field school experience in the Solomon Islands as an intellectual endeavor accomplished despite difficulty and perspiration, but in reality it was a fluid and enlightening vacation to a destination few have the opportunity to enjoy. However, it would be a lie to say there were not moments of frustration, but each example is eclipsed by a barrage of unique images depicting positive moments forever seared in my mind. Vacation aside, the interpersonal relationships developed in the course of conducting fieldwork are not only intense, but they also serve as a medium for self-reflection. Self-reflection might be the most painful facet of the experience, but for me at least, it is the feature that first springs to mind. Since trying to convey my experience in a paragraph is an exercise in futility, all I can say is that my time abroad has altered not only my outlook, but also it has given me a chance to improve who I am while snorkeling amongst reef and fish.
—Martin Brix
La Suerte Biological Field Station, Costa Rica
An incredible journey.
Denise Starkey
Traveling is a true adventure no matter where one goes. For me it was an experience of a lifetime. Fortunate enough to attend a field school not only in another country but also in paradise, I was amazed what the world had to offer. While attending the school, I got to experience the challenges of collecting data in the wild in an environment which can push ones body to the limit. Tired and sweaty we made it back as a team every day out of the dense forest where white-faced capuchins swung through the trees and mantled howler monkeys would sing their songs. An incredible journey, adventure and memory that will last forever.
In the Costa Rican rain forest—Denise Starkey 2nd from left.
Leonor (center) in Mexico.
When I was working towards obtaining a Master of Arts degree at CSUF, I found it very challenging trying to define my research into something I would feel enough passion to write a thesis on. I became interested in the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico and my cousin was residing in San Cristobal at the time which gave me a place to stay while I conducted fieldwork. I believe that traveling to the area of research really gives you an insider's view on the whole dimension of the research problem. I was able to interview the locals and act as a participant observer which enabled me to detect any differences from what the interviewees said and what they actually did. The cultural differences taught me a lot more than what I could have ever learned in all the books I read about the cultural group. I strongly believe that as anthropologists we really need to attempt to do extensive and holistic ethnographies of the study group.
Leonor Monreal
Volunteering
with the British School in Knossos, Crete was a great opportunity to
explore the world of Minoan Archaeology. It was an amazing
anthropological experience which provided many unique situations in
which to develop curiosity and interest in an archaeological
environment, while also having the time to discover what archaeologists
do and how important and influential ones contributions can be to
various projects. Not only did I get to be a part of a great project in
the stratigraphic museum, but I also had the chance and honor to meet
and work with archaeologists from all over the world. There were also
many occasions in which I had plenty of free time to travel around Crete
and experience Cretan life and culture first-hand, while discovering its
wondrous diversity. The opportunity to volunteer at the British School
at Knossos is definitely an immensely gratifying experience no matter
what your emphasis in anthropology is.
--Elaine Ranieri (2007)
During
the month of June 2007, CSUF Anthropology students Elaine Ranieri, Julie
Zepeda (that’s me), and recent graduate Natalie
Flores volunteered our time to work with Dr. Don Evely, the curator at
Knossos. The town of Knossos is the heart of ancient Minoan civilization
located on the island of Crete, Greece. We worked on various tasks, such
as helping out with the organization of ancient sherds to be catalogued
and put into a database for the benefit of future research. Volunteering
in Crete was an excellent opportunity to be introduced to the world of
archaeology. It is an experience I recommend to anyone who is fascinated
with archaeology or who merely wants to help preserve ancient history
for the benefit of education!
--Julie Zepeda (2007)
More photos on Summer Volunteering in Crete
Student Club Activities
THE FIRST AMERICANS:
Anthropological and Native American Perspectives
The
CSU Fullerton Anthropology Student Association and the
Inter-Tribal Student Council co-hosted the Spring 2003 symposium
that presented anthropological and Native American perspectives on each
of the four anthropological sub-fields: biological, archaeological,
linguistic and cultural. In addition to speakers, there were Native
American vendors and cultural performances, information booths, museum
displays, a student poster session, and a post-symposium reception.
The symposium was organized and run by student committees that had the freedom to structure the event as they choose. The students gained experience planning, budgeting, advertising, and working with a variety of individuals and organizations. I learned a lot about Native American cultures and the relationship between Native Americans and anthropologists. I had fun chairing the organizing committee and even earned Internship class credit!
—Dianne Larson
Presenting Papers at Conferences
I was a presenter at the SWAA Annual Conference in May 2004, held on the San Jose State University campus. My paper (with slides) was on Applied Anthropology in a Mayan Village in San Martin Chiquito, Guatemala. The conference was my first "professional" experience in a real Anthropology setting. Though I was a Museum Director for five years, it was still a valuable experience just to be there and participate. It gives you a sense of self-esteem because no one really knows your background and everyone is on the same level. No one even knew–or guessed—that I was a student! (It was an advantage being an older student.) And it was a lot of fun just networking.
Alana Jolley
On a whim, I fixed up an old paper for the South Western Anthropological Association's yearly conference, held at San Jose State University, San Jose, in April 2004. It was the first conference I had attended and also the first that I had the honor to present at. Adding to the pressure was the fact that I had won third place in the student paper competition.
I had the opportunity to attend a few other panels and was dismayed that I had not thought to prepare a PowerPoint presentation, which seems to be the standard for lengthy talks. I was very nervous before my presentation but managed to struggle through it--very quickly. I definitely learned several valuable lessons which include: bring visual aides, network more, to speak more slowly when reading/giving my presentation, and last but not least....to have fun!
:) Maureen Salsitz
For me, the conference
"TRANSCENDING BORDERS: MIGRATION, ETHNICITY, AND INCORPORATION IN AN AGE
OF GLOBALISM"
at
New York University provided an educational experience and understanding
about an array of topics. The conference provided multiple themed
sessions with scholars, discussants and forums. The sessions ranged
from history, ethnicity, and race, to ethnography, immigration law, and
migration. The topics challenged my intellect and I gained insights to
my specific field of interest [and my Master’s thesis]. After the
conference was over, my thoughts were, "I hope too one day that I can
become a teacher." I recommend a professional conference to students who
aspire to become professionals.
Nic Garza
Nic (left) volunteering at Welcome to Cal State Fullerton Day
At the time I was encouraged to present a paper at the 2002 Southwest Anthropological Association conference at California State University, Bakersfield, I thought to myself, “there is NO WAY I’m ready for that!” Two other students and I shared an interest in business anthropology and the importance of cross-cultural knowledge in business, and to them, it seemed like an excellent idea that we present a group paper. Of course, they seemed a bit more confident about presenting than I was. This would be my first real, public presentation, and I seriously didn’t feel like I was prepared enough. Low and behold, the other two students managed to talk me into doing the group presentation, and after about a month of preparing, I began feeling a bit more confident.
When
the conference finally arrived, the three of us met the morning of our
presentation and went over what each of us was going to talk about. We
each presented our own short components of how and why cross-cultural
knowledge is important in business. One of us talked about different
communication styles and why it is important to understand and adapt to
them when conducting business overseas. The other talked about her
position as an advisor on employee issues at the company she worked for,
and why her position was valuable. Finally, I presented a proposal for
a cross-cultural training program that I felt was a solution for
miscommunication across cultural borders.
Preparing for the presentation was nerve-racking, but as I was presenting, a surge of confidence swept through me, and the audience’s attentiveness made me even more confident. At that moment, when all eyes and ears were on us, I realized that I loved what I was talking about! Best of all, I loved sharing my proposal—my creation—and the information that accompanied it, with people who were clearly interested in hearing about it. The entire experience was definitely an exciting one.
Before I did the presentation, I asked myself over and over again, “why am I doing this?” After I finished the presentation and sat down in my seat, I realized exactly why I did it. The topic our group discussed wasn’t exactly the most common topic anthropologists and people talk about. Not many people see anthropology as a part of business. This was our group’s moment to expose the issue of culture and business and the importance it has in maintaining good personal and professional relations around the world. I believe that talking about something like culture in the workplace really allowed people to relate and reflect, only because it was finally a topic that affects everyone in everyday life, even those people who sit behind a desk from nine to five. I did this presentation to share my research. I did it to practice my presentation skills. I did it to outdo my courage. And I did it to list it on my growing but glowing curriculum vitae. Recently, I have been applying for teaching jobs around the world, and believe it or not, employers have pointed out the “presentations” section of my vitae and made it a point to ask me about it. Now, I always say, every little bit counts, even a fifteen-minute public presentation.
-Melissa C. Karpinski