What Are Anthropology Alumni Doing Now?
Stephanie Benedetti ('15)
Rental Services Coordinator, Community Housing Office, University of California, Santa Barbara
“I am now working as a Career-track full time staff member in the Community Housing Office at UCSB. Anthropology has helped me not only to get, but also to excel, in the job. I just started work on July 20, 2015, so I am still getting the hang of everything but using cultural understanding has really helped me get to know people very quickly. I will also be using Anthropology to relate to the different groups of people that I will be helping find off campus housing. To be honest Anthropology has better shaped me in the work field altogether; it made me comfortable in interviews allowing me to answer questions intelligently and calmly, as well as allowing me to create spread sheets, surveys/ questionnaires for productivity reasons within our system. But at the end of the day Anthropology has made me comfortable stepping into new environments knowing that I can adapt and hit the ground running.”
Melinda Berge ('14)
Archaeologist, Albion Environmental
“After graduating with a degree in Anthropology from CSUCI, I attended Cabrillo Community College’s archaeological field school, which was partly in collaboration with Albion Environmental, Inc. based out of Santa Cruz, CA. I have had work with Albion full-time since then! I have gotten to be a part of crews doing survey, excavation, screening, and monitoring. In addition to professionally surviving as an archaeologist, I am also continuing to develop the project that started with my Senior Capstone at CI. I am keenly interested in the experiential and authentic learning possibilities presented by archaeology, especially in the context of grade school curriculum. I am exploring different avenues of application of these pedagogies, including a summer ‘field school’ for grade school students, and collaborations with other professors and teachers interested in the same concepts.”
Monica Dollison ('13)
Archaeology Technician Intern, Bureau of Land Management
Working out of the Ridgecrest Field office in the Mojave Desert, Monica helps survey, monitor and inventory cultural resources found along Off-Highway Vehicle routes. Recording sites that range from small lithic scatters to obsidian quarries and even historic mining cabins, the information she gathers is used to help the BLM create management programs that not only protect the archeology found around OHV routes, but also allows the public to use and enjoy their land. After this internship Monica hopes to continue her work in the public sector with the BLM and State/National Parks.
Emily Largey ('14)
Manager, California Pizza Kitchen
“I currently work for California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) in several capacities. Most of my days are spent managing one of the CPK locations, in which case I interact with hundreds of people each day. I also travel around the country training and opening new store locations for CPK. No matter what my job title is for the day, I am constantly building relationships with people. The knowledge and skills that I acquired while studying anthropology help me with my work more than I ever could have imagined. I am able to adjust my language, my leadership, and my presentation of information to better appeal to a wide variety of people. Anthropology taught me to ask the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows’ to better understand and relate to people. Every anthropology course I attended during my academic career supplied me with information I could apply to my everyday life (both personal and professional). Once I understood the value of approaching work with an anthropological perspective, my career began to flourish. Every job in the hospitality industry benefits from an education in anthropology.”
Alex Padilla ('17)
Special Projects & Communication Specialist, CSUCI
"The Anthropology Program at CSUCI has given me so many opportunities and an amazing learning environment, so I just couldn't stay away. After I graduated, I worked in the Anthropology labs as a Lab Consultant and every day I had the opportunity to hold a piece of our local history. I then took on the position of Academic Support Coordinator, coordinating administrative support for the Anthropology, ESRM, and Sociology programs. Without my degree in Anthropology, I would have little understanding of these interdisciplinary programs and would never have had the contacts that would allow me to support the amazing professors who made my undergraduate life the best it could be. This position also allowed me to complete the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership Program also here at CSUCI, where I used my Capstone research knowledge to complete my thesis. I am now the Special Projects & Communication Specialist for the Office of the President at CI, all because of my education in Anthropology. I am so grateful for every opportunity this major gave me."