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FIELD NOTES

 

USC DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR/MINOR E-NEWSLETTER

2002 (4) March 15, 2002

 

compiled by Gail E. Wagner, Undergraduate Director

CONTENTS

Students in the News . . . . p. 1

Departmental News . . . . p. 1

Upcoming Events . . . . p. 2

Career Corner . . . . p. 2

A Day in the Life Of . . . p. 3

 

Students in the News

Howard J. Brewington was named Honorary Astronomer General of South Carolina on December 6, 2001. Howard has the distinction of discovering five comets and one asteroid.

Departmental News

The second annual FEASTING will be 4:00-7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27. Last year we held it on the patio at the front of our adjoining building – I assume it will be in the same vicinity again this year.

A reception for graduating seniors, their families, and friends will be held in Hamilton 318 on Saturday, May 11, from 8:45 – 9:45 am. Following the reception, walk over with your professors to the ceremonies at the Coliseum! Immediately after the commencement ceremony, meet your professors at the ramp to have a group photo taken!

Advisement for Maymester, Summer sessions, and Fall 2002 begins March 27 and ends April 15. Visit the VIP web site http://vip.sc.edu to determine your registration appointment time. Look for your name on the list outside the Dept. of Anthropology office door, third floor Hamilton. It will tell you who will be advising you this semester (it may have changed from last semester so check it out). Sign up for an advising appointment on your advisor’s door. Do not skip class to get advised! When it is time for your appointment, get your folder from the office and take it to your appointment with you. Here’s some more advice: don’t wait until the last minute to sign up for advisement: your advisor may be out of town!

Graduating seniors: be sure to fill out a Graduating Senior Survey (available from the anthropology office). It’s anonymous and it’s your chance to give some input about the program and the building.

Upcoming Events

Elizabeth Barber, an archaeologist, will be the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar. On Thursday, March 21, 3:30-5:00 pm, McKissick Museum Auditorium she will talk on "Women’s Work – The First 20,000 Years". From 7:00-8:30 pm, 250 Gambrell Hall, she will talk on "Where DID You Get That Hat, My Dear? – How We Came to Dress the Way We Do". There will be a reception in the second floor lobby following this talk. On Friday, March 22, she will eat lunch with undergraduate students in Preston College. From 3:30-5:00 pm, Gambrell 151, she will talk on "An Archaeologist’s View of Language and Cognition". Following this will be dinner with students and faculty. If you are interested in joining the dinner, please contact Dr. Ann Kingsolver. Dr. Barber is the author of four award-winning books: Archaeological Decipherment; Prehistoric Textiles; Women’s Work – The First 20,000 Years; and The Mummies of Urumchi. Sounds like a great opportunity – don’t miss catching at least one of her talks!

Jane Goodall will be talking on Tuesday, April 2, at Brooks Center, Clemson University! Jane is a world famous primate behaviorist, anthropologist, environmentalist and author, and a fantastic and inspirational speaker. She will speak about her "reasons for hope" and incorporate her inspirational message with one of conservation and awareness of the other beings with whom we share this world. The lecture is free and open to the public. Passes will be issued to Clemson students, faculty and staff having valid identification starting at 6:30 PM with doors open at 7 PM. Passes will be issued to the general public starting at 7:30 PM. No one will be admitted without a pass. If necessary due to overflow, the lecture may be broadcast by closed circuit TV at sites to be announced. A book signing will follow the lecture in the Brooks Center lobby.

Career Corner (by Vicki Hamby)

#1 AMERICORPS VISIT

Americorps will have an Information Table in the Russsell House on March 19th, 10-3 PM.

#2 EDUCATION RECRUITMENT DAY

March 20, 2002, 10am-5pm, Carolina Colliseum

For a listing of which districts are coming and what they are hiring for, see www.sc.edu/career/futureevents.html

#3 WALT DISNEY VISIT (INTERNSHIPS)

April 4, 2002, 5pm - Belk Auditorium - BA005 - basement (Business Building)

For details, see www.wdwcollegeprogram.com

#4 NEW RESOURCES

Below are listed three of our newest resources for liberal arts students. Stop by the Career Center Library anytime between 8:30am-5pm, M-F and take a peek!

* Days in the Lives of Social Workers (100.1)

(50 professionals tell 'real-life' stories from social work practice.)

* Guide to Selecting and Applying to Master of Social Work Programs (200.2)

* Careers in International Law (100.2)

#5 TOP EMPLOYERS OF LIBERAL ARTS GRADS:

Looking for a starting place for your liberal arts job hunt? Below are five employers who accounted for the greatest number of offers to 2001 liberal arts graduates, along with their average starting salary offer:

+ Education Services - $28,571 avg. starting salary offer

+ Retail/Wholesale Trade - $31,583 avg. starting salary offer

+ Government (State & Local) - $28,608 avg. starting salary offer

+ Social Assistance - $24,344 avg. starting salary offer

+ Government (Federal) - $31,237 avg. starting salary offer

(Source: NACE Fall 2001 Salary Survey)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vicki M. Hamby , Career Center - Program Manager

Liaison to the College of Liberal Arts & the Honors College

A Day in the Life Of

Here it is – the initiation of our newest column! Our first guest columnist is Woody Crenshaw, who is spending this academic year at the University of Malta. Contact Woody at woody@searchmalta.com

The University of Malta operates much differently than universities in America. Classes count as one or two credits, which coincides with the amount of hours the respective class meets each week. Since classes only meet one day a week for one or two hours, there are basically two types of days on Malta for the university student: days that a student has school and days that the student has no school, or only one hour of school.

The typical day of school consists of classes for most of the day, in the morning, afternoon, or spread out over the day, depending on when the student registers for them. There are usually specific readings assigned for each class, which the student has to get at a copy shop (they rarely use text books) and the class will be devoted to going over the certain reading or subject. Archaeology, being a practical subject does not require as much reading as does, say, my anthropology class, but it is still good to read over the subject for that day. Most of the classes are lecturing classes, consisting of fifteen to thirty students, while others may have six to seven students, which makes the class more intimate and may have more discussions rather than straight lectures. I have two busy days, Thursday and Friday, which consists of an eight a.m. class followed by one or two hours, which I spend on the internet or in the library, then I have another class. After this class, I usually go back to the dorm (which is two miles from the school, but there is an hourly shuttle), have lunch and get ready for one or two afternoon classes. Since the classes meet only once a week, and I have two full days, this leaves the rest of the days empty or with only one class.

On a typical day without classes I do not sleep in, but get up and go to school to check my e-mail, then go back to the dorm and grab some food. I will then leave and go, either, to one of the cities, or a site, such as the megalithic temples. If I go to a city, I will walk around and look in the stores and possibly go to a movie. There are parks where I will go read or enjoy watching the people. If I decide to go somewhere, such as an archaeological site, I have to plan it because of the confusing, yet exciting, bus system they have here on Malta. When I do this, it usually takes most of the day and includes a lot of walking as well. When I finish with what I am doing, I will usually come back and eat dinner, then read, or socialize with the people in the dorm. Then, of course, there are those days that I decide to sleep in and just sit around and read all day (for enjoyment and class).

So, basically, a typical day on Malta for the international student consists of either classes or setting out to explore the island. Although classes do not meet as often as in the United States, they still require a lot of reading, which takes up a lot of time as well. It requires the student to go out and find sources on their own and be disciplined in studying, rather than just going to class and listening to the lectures. It may take a while to get use to the laid back culture, but once a student does, then they can spend time enjoying themselves here on this small island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.