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Career Profiles

The course ANTHROP 3005: Careers with Anthropology prepares students from all sub-fields of anthropology for life beyond the degree. Students conduct exercises to discover what they are looking for in work and careers, they learn how to translate and communicate their anthropological and other skills to employers and clients, and they learn how to research their career communities using informational interviewing and other networking strategies. 

A critical part of the course are guest speakers from a wide range of fields and professions. The guests discuss how they have leveraged their anthropological skills to network, get interviews, and land jobs. Below are profiles of some of the guest speakers who discuss their careers, how they use anthropology in their current positions, and share career advice for undergraduates. Most of the guests are alumni from our own program and were interviewed by students enrolled in the course.

Profiles of careers in/with anthropology

Cass Blair interviewed Cassie in 2023 to learn more about her internship experience. The interview was edited for clarity and conciseness.

Cassie Davis headshot.

Biographical Sketch: Cassie Davis is a Research Assistant at the PAST Foundation. She graduated with a BS in Medical Anthropology from the Ohio State University in 2022. She started her work at the PAST Foundation as an intern in the summer. 

What internship were you in? What is the organization you were working for? What were your roles and responsibilities?

I was a research intern at the PAST foundation. I started towards the end of May, in the summer of 2022 and then I left in Mid-August about a week before the next semester started. So, it was about a three-month long internship. It was me and another Ohio State student and we were there to just really support the research team and their evaluation of their summer programming.

The PAST Foundation does stem education, summer camps, and many other kinds of programming throughout the year. But that was the time we were there so that was their main focus. So, we had pre and post surveys that we did to evaluate the summer camps. Every week we would either have to drive out to the camp locations, which was all local in Columbus, or at the organization’s building, they would run camps, so we had to go and administer the surveys, we had to input the data, we kept track of parent consent forms because it’s all IRB compliant. Towards the end we did a little bit of preliminary analysis on the data. And then just throughout we also did observations, and I thought that was really helpful. One of my highlights of it is watching the campers, seeing how students interact. One of the goals of the Minecraft camp to help students engage in science and the virtual world. And they always seem to love it. There was a “Girls Who Lead” all girls Minecraft Camp and a co-ed Minecraft Camp. So, we observed both of those to see if the girls in the camp kind of felt more confident or more outspoken in the all-girls setting. And then we also got to write up reports on that programming. I helped do some note taking for the focus groups of student teachers, just see their feedback and help with the programming. We kind of had out foot in a lot of different doors: helping PAST itself with their programming and then also learning about stem identity, which was the main idea of the surveys, and how we can help increase diversity in the stem fields and make all students feel welcome. That was really the goal.

How did you find your internship? 

I was in ANTHROP 5650: Research Methods and Ethnography, taught by Dr. Cohen. His wife actually works at the PAST foundation, and so he has that connection to the PAST Foundation that way. And then he mentioned it in class and just said “any students that are interested let me know” so I reached out to him, got the information, and then applied, and got the interview that way.

Was your internship paid or unpaid? And did you get course credit for this internship?

It was a paid internship. There was no course credit.

You said you had to travel to the camps and the organizational building, were they a great distance away from each other?

No. One of their partners is Chemical Abstract Services (CAS). They’re like two minutes down the road, close to campus. PAST itself is located on Kinnear, it’s really close to Ohio State. And then another camp was at Mezzacello Urban Farm, which is about ten minutes away. They are down in downtown Columbus, but the person who runs the camp has chickens, they grow vegetables, like a pond, and the kids just get to learn about bioengineering and how to create sustainable technology and problem solving in that landscape so that was really cool to watch. Those were our two offsite locations. And then they had a bunch of camps running here at the building.

Was the application process difficult or did you find it easier because you already had that connection?

No, it wasn’t too difficult, pretty standard, I think. I just submitted a resume and cover letter like usual. And then it was a zoom interview with two members on the research team. It wasn’t intimidating which was nice. They were like a very welcoming group.

How many hours did you work at your internship per week?

It was a 30-hour week internship. So, we worked about all 30 hours every week, and then we did get a whole week off I think, for July Fourth, which was nice. And then a few times we worked slightly over if they had something going on, but not usually. It was pretty strict at that 30-hour mark.

Did you have trouble fitting it into your class schedule, did they work around your schedule? How did that all come together?

With it being in summer, I wasn’t taking any courses so that was nice. I could just focus all on this internship. But I was doing a senior thesis. So, I was meeting with my Ohio State advisor, and they were really flexible with like if I needed to meet at like 2 pm in the afternoon or go do, you know, on campus and I can make up the hours. I didn’t have to do that often, but they were understanding. So, it was nice.

Did you find it difficult to manage your time with your internship?

Not too much. It kind of felt like I was working like my first full time job. It was nice to kind of dip my toe in that world and kind of helped prepare me for life after graduation.

What would you say are the most valuable things that your internship taught you?

I think at that point when I was a student, I wasn’t super clear on what I wanted to do and mainly because I wasn’t sure what I was interested in at the time and so narrowing it down was really difficult. Which I’m sure is the case for a lot of students and anthropology students, because anthropology drew me there because it was so interdisciplinary, and I felt like I didn’t have to choose a major in a sense. But then the internship, it really helped show me that I really liked research, that’s kind of the direction I wanted to go in. And then that itself is kind of a big umbrella of like “I want to do research! Now what does that mean?” and just seeing that there’s this anthropology focused lens that can have practical applications. It’s really helpful to know because when you’re in the classroom and you hear all these case study examples of how this can be applied, it’s great. Then being able to go out and do it and gain that confidence and see that there’s opportunities out there after graduation to do the things that you really want to do was really comforting, I guess. And then the transferable skills of just being in a workplace and knowing how to talk to coworkers and talk to, you know, a supervisor, how to write a company report rather than a school paper. I guess knowing that I could get a job that I was passionate about, that I could make an impact in the world with, and that I could use my degree in, it was awesome.

Did your internship benefit your education?

Yeah, I think so. I think it just kind of makes you a little more confident and sure of yourself. I think when you’re learning new material, you learn how it can be applied to the real world rather than this abstract concept that you’re reading out of a textbook. You can say “okay, I can take these methods and I could apply them here” or “I remember applying them this way last summer”. So, I think it gives you that like tangible application that you can apply what you’re learning to towards.

Did you feel that your internship was a valuable step for you in pursuing a career after you graduated?

Definitely. I’m working now at the PAST Foundation, I just started a few months ago working here full time. So yeah, I had a great mentorship, great connections that helped me get my job after graduation, so it was very valuable.

How did the internship shape your career path after graduation? How did the internship help launch your career?

I’d say it gave me a focus. I really liked my internship, and it was really valuable. But even if it wasn’t what you wanted to do, it kind of shows you that you can be confident in closing that door, then start looking in another direction, and then take those like workplace transferable skills with you, you know. I think it's definitely helpful, no matter how it ends up playing out. And luckily for me, it was a positive experience, and the work I was doing I really liked. But it just kind of gives you clarity on how a workplace functions and knowing what's out there. I think knowing what's out there is like the hardest part, and applying for a job after college can be overwhelming. So, kind of having something to compare future job descriptions to, or other roles that you step into, it's not going be your only experience. And you can be like, “Oh, I really liked this part of when I was entering here, and this company doesn't have it. Maybe I should look for that in some other place.”

Did you find the department helpful in finding/supporting your internship?

I'd say yes. I think especially just with Dr. Cohen connecting me to the opportunity was probably the biggest thing.

Would you recommend internships to other students? Do you have any advice for students pursuing an internship?

Yes, definitely. If you want an internship, I’d say definitely start asking around, like don’t be afraid to just talk to people and say, “oh I really like what you’re doing like, is there any way I can help?” Because it sounds kind of intimidating at first but people that like what they’re doing are really excited to share with other people. And that's something I kind of learned: starting to like break through that wall. They're always welcoming, they want to talk to you and get you involved. And usually, they were in your shoes so it kind of helps to remind yourself of that, it makes it feel a little less intimidating. For starting an internship, I'd say just ask questions and learn as much as you can, I think. Just ask as many questions as you can. Don't be afraid to not know things and make the most of it.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-davis-68b40a173/ 

Medical Anthropology Major: https://anthropology.osu.edu/medical-anthropology 

PAST Foundation: https://www.pastfoundation.org 

Faith Reeling and Rachel Hutchison interviewed Sara on September 24, 2020. The interview was edited for clarity and conciseness.

Sara McGuire.
Sara McGuire

Biographical sketch: Dr. Sara McGuire started her education at the University of New Haven where she earned a B.S. in Forensic Science with minors in Chemistry and Criminal Justice, as well as a B.A. in History. She landed a summer internship with the Smithsonian analyzing human bone samples by using stable isotope analysis. With her interest sparked, she attended a master’s program at Bournemouth University in England for Biological Anthropology where her dissertation focused on the dietary reconstruction by stable isotope analysis of Late Iron Age and Early Roman individuals from a site in Dorset county in southern England. Sara then completed her PhD in Anthropology at The Ohio State University in 2020 with a specific focus in Biological Anthropology, Bioarcheology, and Anatomy. Sara currently works for the federal government. 

Finding field and research experience in anthropology as an undergraduate can be daunting and difficult at times. Do you have any advice for going about finding those opportunities? 

Keep an open mind, and don’t limit yourself based on location or organization. There is a need for anthropologists everywhere, regardless of the subfield. Apply wherever you think they may be taking interns. It can’t hurt, it only takes a couple of hours to get your name out there. Even if you find that it’s not for you, you may have useful experiences along the way. For example, I had the opportunity to work and talk with anthropologists at the Smithsonian Museum during my internship. That was a good opportunity to network with them and other staff, asking them if they had any opportunities to share. It’s all about finding the opportunities where they are and taking advantage of them. If you don’t like it, reach out and see where else you can go. I didn’t know anyone at the Department of Justice, but I put myself out there and look what happened.

How did you set yourself apart and make yourself stand out?

Really just working hard. I did many study-abroad opportunities, both for my history degree and my masters’, and those were great ways to interact with and experience other cultures. That gives you great interpersonal skills that are applicable in a wide range of situations. Pursuing things you love as well is important because you're going to develop a passion about it. I love skeletons so much; I can learn things about your life based on things in your bones. I’m passionate about it, I love it, and that shines through. People will see that you’re serious about your field and know what you want to do.

Would you recommend going to graduate school when pursuing a career in science, like yourself?

It really depends. As an undergrad, I never thought I was going to go to grad school. I thought I was going to work in a lab and it was going to be boring, but whatever. But then I found anthropology, and I knew from talking to scientists at the Smithsonian lab that I would need at least a master’s degree to have the specialized skill set to be able to do those types of scientific analyses. So, I got my master’s and must have applied to 150 plus anthropology lab jobs and I was either way overqualified or needed a PhD. So, I went and got my PhD and that really helped me in the long run because I was able to continue developing my skills and continue learning. That really gave me more experiences and I think made me more employable. I had very strong chemistry skills coming out of undergrad, but I don’t think that I had the life experience necessary to start this career the right way. I was a young 21 when I graduated college; furthering my education and taking a couple years off to work gave me real world experiences that made me a more competitive employee.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-mcguire-phd-1411aa1a/

Smithsonian internships: https://www.smithsonianofi.com/internship-opportunities/

Department of Justice internships: https://www.justice.gov/careers/interns-recent-graduates-and-fellows

Federal Bureau of Investigation internships: https://www.fbijobs.gov/students/undergrad

Alexa Ustaszewski interviewed Andrew on September 17, 2020. The interview was edited for clarity and conciseness.

Andrew Weiland.
Andrew Weiland

Biographical sketch: Andrew Weiland graduated from Ohio University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2004. He attended graduate school at The Ohio State University where he earned his Master of Arts in Anthropology in May 2013 with his thesis “Marshelder (Iva annua L.) Seed Morphology and Patterns of Domestication in Eastern North America.” Continuing his graduate education at Ohio State, Weiland earned his PhD in Anthropology with his dissertation titled “Pathways to Maize Adoption and Intensification in the Little Miami and Great Miami River Valleys” in 2019. Weiland currently works as the Cultural Resources Program Manager for Hopewell Culture National Historic Park.

Can you talk about your current position and what you do on a day-to-day basis?

So, my position in terms of curation involves some public outreach like dealing with our interpretive rangers and discussing how to develop programs that have an anthropological or archaeological basis to them. Then it also involves basic housekeeping and care of those objects. Another major duty is the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, that has to do with the return of human remains to Native American groups. That’s a really rewarding part of my job, working with tribes and doing right by the tribes. A lot of the archaeology part of my job is just compliance. We just make sure that there are no cultural resources being damaged.

As an undergraduate, what kinds of opportunities and internships did you seek out and how did you find those opportunities for yourself?

It wasn’t until I got into graduate school that I actually started pursuing lots of opportunities with lots of people. Rather than drawing from my own experiences as an undergraduate, I would give general advice to seek out the things you’re interested in and don’t feel as though you aren’t ready to reach out to people. There are all sorts of people that will be happy to get back to you. If you have basic interests in a subject within anthropology or some sort of research that you’d like to do, don’t be afraid of reaching out to people or organizations that are out there.

Can you talk about your experience doing fieldwork, how you find field schools, and how that process works?

I would say that for any job in archaeology you should have a field school. That’s just a bottom line. Even for museum jobs that is looked kindly upon, although maybe not necessary. My own personal experience was that I didn’t do a field school during my undergrad because I was more interested in cultural anthropology, and then in order to get a job in cultural resource management, I went back to school briefly just to take a field school so that I could get those jobs. Cross check who you’re working with. Reach out to people who are established in archaeology and ask if this is a good field school because you don’t want to waste your time.

How do you use anthropology in general professional situations, not necessarily when you’re doing archaeology or curation?

A lot of my reading and classes in cultural anthropology have helped me out on a personal and professional level understanding people’s perspectives and being open to those perspectives without being demeaning to other people’s viewpoints.

Do you have any tips for students when it comes to pursuing careers?

Don’t necessarily follow the career path that you think you should do. Realize it’s okay to make lateral moves and do something that you didn’t expect to find yourself doing. I did that quite a bit after my undergrad and I don’t regret a bit of it. Even if you are seriously driven on your career path, consider alternative opportunities that arise. I think that realizing alternative paths are available and seeking experiences that you’re passionate about is the most important thing. Find things you’re passionate about. Find things that are more rewarding to you, and you will eventually get rewarded for following them.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-weiland-ab765187/

Hopewell Culture National Historic Park: https://www.nps.gov/hocu/index.htm

Braelyn Gerchak interviewed Ariel on September 10, 2020. The interview was edited for clarity and conciseness.

Ariel Miller.
Ariel Miller

Biographical sketch: Ariel Miller is a 2013 graduate from The Ohio State University who earned a dual degree in Anthropology and Environment and Natural Resources. During her undergraduate years at Ohio State, she was an intern at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association.  She recently earned a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University (2020) and became a Coordinator of Research and Technical Assistance at the Council of Development Finance Agencies.

Did you always have a career path, or did you find it along the way?

I think, if you're studying people, then you can study people alongside literally anything else. For example, even if you're practicing anthropology and math, you know people are involved, even if it's just numbers. So, I think it lends itself nicely to being paired with other disciplines. To answer your question, no I did not have a set career path. In fact, I haven't had a single job so far that I knew that job existed before I got it. I think careers are in a constant state of development and it is important to explore as many options within anthropology that interest you.

How do you use an anthropological perspective in your career?

Absolutely! Anthropology makes us a little bit more comfortable looking and understanding people in an unconventional light. Because of this, it teaches critical thought it doesn't feel so uncomfortable to ask foundational questions about things like politics and society. This is beneficial in the workplace in order to better understand the culture within the environment.

What is the greatest tool gifted to you through studying anthropology?

Anthropology provides new perspectives for ways to question my own and others’ assumptions. There are always complicated problems in society. Now more than ever, light is being shed on these issues. Anthropology plays a key role in understanding others beyond myself, which is such an amazing gift.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-miller-035ba68a/

Council of Development Finance Agencies: https://www.cdfa.net

Master’s in City and Regional Planning: https://knowlton.osu.edu/city-and-regional-planning/master-city-and-regional-planning

Audrey Bowers interviewed Jennifer on March 8, 2024. The interview was edited for clarity and conciseness.

Jennifer Studenbaker headshot.

Biographical sketch: Jennifer Studebaker is a self-described business anthropologist with experience in research, communications, and project management. She graduated from Indiana University in 2010 with a BA in Anthropology and completed her MS in Anthropology at Purdue University in 2012. Currently, Jennifer works as a project and business integration specialist at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, MO, where she’s been an employee for 5 years. Her first post-grad experience working for the Society for Ethnomusicology at Indiana University gave her experience managing projects for nonprofits and she has used anthropological skills in every role she’s held. Jennifer is also an active volunteer for the Anthropology Career Readiness Network and is passionate about the value of anthropology beyond the degree, sharing with us how an anthropological education equips students for success in any career field.

You advertise yourself as a business anthropologist. Do you feel like people understand what it means when you use that phrasing?

I think people usually understand it because I'll add another sentence where I'll say, ‘I use research to solve business problemsfor companies or organizations.’ So I think it's important to include it with a caveat. Because people aren't going to know what a business anthropologist is right off the bat. And I’ve experimented to just see what kind of hits you get in terms of what language you use. As someone with a communications background, I don’t think it’s fair to always assume that your audience doesn't know what anthropology is. But do your research on who you're trying to talk to.

What would you say you like the most about your job? And what are some things that make it difficult or that you would change?

The thing I really love the most about my job is the people I work with. I'm really fortunate to work with a lot of wonderful, smart, intelligent, fun people that care about other humans. That's one of the things that's just really lovely about working at the foundation. I think a lot of the challenges I have with my current job are more like general feelings about philanthropy in general, as an industry.

What advice do you have for us as anthropology majors?

One of the reasons why I've been so involved with the Anthropology Career Readiness Network is that in my experience as somebody that finished my education with a Master's, I got a lot of negative feedback from people about stopping at that point. I would go to my professors, asking what jobs they think I should look at, and they’d be like oh, you can be someone’s assistant, or you can go work at Starbucks. Would you say that to somebody with an MBA, you know? I have a master’s degree, it’s not nothing. So, I would say, remember that your skills are valuable. People do want to hire you.

There’s a lot that I think we take for granted in university settings, like being able to write well, to know how to interact with different types of people, and to even do cold calls, walking up to somebody and asking them a question. That’s something an anthropologist has to do on a regular basis, just reaching out to people to ask to interview them. Also, one of the real edges that anthropology can give you is if you try to treat all of your workplaces as study environments where you can use your observational skills to understand. So, really think about all of your interactions like opportunities to apply that skillset. Just realize that anthropology is really flexible in terms of the skills that you have, and in pretty much any industry, you can flourish with a degree in anthropology.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-studebaker-pmp-74053245/

Kauffman Foundationhttps://www.kauffman.org/

Society for Ethnomusicology: https://www.ethnomusicology.org/

Anthropology Career Readiness Network: https://anthrocareerready.net/