Read the Spanish translation of this article.
Anthropology, the study of humanity under a biological and sociological lens, may be a less common degree for NMSU students. Despite this, members of the Undergraduate Anthropology Organization (UAO) say the field is anything but limited—and the club provides a space for students of all majors to learn more about themselves and whatever field they are in.
In their weekly meetings, the UAO allows members to talk about anthropology, discuss research ideas, and share opportunities available for students outside of class.
Despite the club’s focus on anthropology, members say the club, along with the major itself, is beneficial for all students to tap into.
“Anthropology is for everybody, because there’s always new studies in anthropology,” UAO President Julianna Hernandez said. “…There’s people that do medical anthropology. There’s forensic anthropology. I’m doing educational anthropology, which is like, super freaking niche. But yeah, you can always combine whatever you’re studying with anthropology. It’s all connected.”
Hernandez included that the overlap between anthropology and NMSU’s Viewing a Wider World courses isn’t a coincidence; it’s proof how important the knowledge of anthropology is for students across all majors.
“Anthropology, a lot of the classes that are out for the department, most of them are Viewing [a] Wider World credits,” Hernandez said. “And I love how that proves, just in that little factor, that anthropology is for everyone. Everyone can get something out of it.”
The UAO also makes a dedicated effort to get members to attend conferences related to the field and make connections. For undergraduates especially, these opportunities are advantageous in the current job market.
“I think a lot of undergraduates don’t know how to network,” UAO Secretary Aaron Culver said. “They aren’t familiar with the opportunities that they have as part of a club, or to reach out to experts in their field and think about graduate schools. This club has been a great resource for me in that.”
So far, UAO members have attended conferences in El Paso and plan to attend more, along with hosting informational events on field schools and graduate schools.
The UAO advocates especially for field schools—for around six weeks, the hand-on experiences provide six credits and can be covered fully by financial aid.
“It’s a great opportunity for anyone that wants to try out anthropology,” Culver said, who attended a field school himself. “Not everybody who goes on the field schools is an anthropology major or an archeology minor…But if you’re at all interested in the field, it’s a great way to get some practical experience and decide if it’s something for you.”
Members of the UAO added that they would like to see more members, especially those who haven’t delved into anthropology just yet.
“I’ve been really trying to recruit more people, especially people who aren’t anthropology majors, and even people who aren’t anthropology minors and maybe have no idea what anthropology is or anything like that, just because I think that it’s so useful and fun.” UAO Vice President Moss Griego Argaez said.
For Treasurer Desirae Price, the club’s value extends beyond academics.
“I want more people to be involved. I think the past couple of years in school have been really hard for a lot of people…and I think a lot of people just need a lot of support. And it’s nice to see more of use coming together.” Price said.
More information on the Undergraduate Anthropology Organization can be found on their Instagram.
