By Megan Hale | Reporter
Baylor’s Anthropology Society supports students pursuing the study of anthropology by connecting them with like-minded peers, faculty and opportunities to aid in their future endeavors.
Anthropology, or the study of man, encompasses many areas of study, including human biology, forensic science and archaeology.
“We want to help build a community around the anthropology department because it can be hard to find people who have either taken a class before or know certain professors, so we want to give them a little bit more insight and a little bit more support when it comes to general Baylor but also the anthropology department itself,” Highland Village senior and vice president of the Anthropology Society Averi Carroll said.
Although this organization is targeted toward anthropology majors, anyone is welcome to join, regardless of their major or area of study.
“There is a certain level of anthropology in every single major if you look into it hard enough and if you really read between the lines,” Dallas sophomore and treasurer of the Anthropology Society Liz Blanchard said. “Being able to learn about it with people that are equally as passionate about it is something that makes me really love it even more.”
Arlington senior Garrett Darden is a biology major who joined the anthropology society and now serves as the society’s secretary. He said he believes biological science is the cornerstone of anthropology.
“I very much love the humanitarian side of medicine,” Darden said. “So looking at the cultures of different groups of people and seeing how that interacts with health and health care and how diseases move to impact different societies and cultures, I think is very interesting and very worthwhile. I think it’s something that a lot of pre-med students should be more exposed to, because sure, we need to know everything about the actual technical sciences, but at the end of the day, we’re treating people.”
Striving for a balance of fun and informative events, the organization offers social team bonding activities like escape room outings, game nights and movie nights. It also offers academic events to supplement classroom teachings through professor lectures, guest speakers, lab tours, research opportunities and field school connections.
“We try to do a mix of both academic and social to get that balance,” Denton senior and president of the Anthropology Society Ashley Medlin said.
Faculty from the anthropology department lead summer field school opportunities for students to put their classroom knowledge into practice through hands-on engagement and the application of techniques.
“[Field school] is mostly for just archaeology, but anyone is welcome to join them,” Medlin said. “It really helps build up your resume, and honestly, you just learn so much about growing culture.”
Blanchard said one of her favorite things about anthropology is how all the people in the department are passionate.
“Being able to expand that passion all over Baylor is exactly what I want to offer,” Blanchard said. “I think that anthropology really brings people together.”
