Allyse Freeman
Graduation year: 2011
Major: History
Minors: Anthropology and geology
Activities: STAND, Amnesty International, Anthropology Club
Post-grad plans: Pursue a master's and eventually a Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Are you where you thought you'd be four years ago?
Luckily I am where I thought I'd be in four years. I will get my bachelor's, and I have been accepted to graduate school.
What was your peak experience while you were here?
My peak experience during my undergrad would be Dr. Hammer's Badlands trip in the summer of 2009. It was amazing to be out in the field and actually digging up fossils. It was where I decided that my job would need fieldwork and thus, I began to prepare myself for archaeology.
What did you learn about yourself in these past four years that surprised you?
Throughout my four years here, I discovered that I love to learn. I realized I did not want to stop and find a job in a cubicle but to continue learning and enter the world of academia.
Who helped you get to where you are now?
Both Dr. Kaul and Dr. Ellis have really helped me realize what I want to do with my life. They both made me think in new and challenging ways and have opened my eyes to the world of academia. By pushing me to achieve more, they have helped prepare me for my future.
What would you like to add that we didn't ask about?
Dr. Kaul emailed the Anthro Club about an archaeology field camp in Ireland and encouraged us to apply. I was accepted, and this summer I will be attending the Caherconnell Archaeological Field School in the West of Ireland.
Any advice to this fall's incoming class (Class of 2015)?
My advice is always be open to new fields. I came in a history major and had no idea I would fall in love with anthropology and would be pursuing it in graduate school and as a career choice. Try not to be narrow-minded in your classes and try new things.
"Allyse is one of those great students who has a passion for learning for the sake of it, instead of simply focusing on grades. This summer, she will travel to the West of Ireland where she'll be digging at an old stone fort site called Caherconnell with a select group of students and a team of archaeologists from the National University of Ireland, Galway. It's a rare opportunity, and one that will provide Allyse with the kind of fieldwork in archaeology that she can carry with her into graduate school."