Major/Minor: Anthropology with a concentration in forensics, and a minor in psychology
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Year at UNL: 3rd year
Why Anthropology?
I was originally going to go to college for astrophysics, but I am horrible with math and chemistry. I went with my second option forensic anthropology because of my second favorite show, Bones. I watched it growing up and it cultivated my fascination with anatomy, osteology, and the biology of the human body.
My two favorite classes were ANTH297 and ANTH492. ANTH297 was an archaeology class I took over the summer last year where I learned all about forensic archaeology and the methods that go into excavating human remains. ANTH492 was a class I just recently took where I collaborated with students from Japan to create an exhibit at the International Quilt Museum. What I enjoyed most from this class was meeting all the new people and learning about the processes and methods behind textile care.
Extracurricular Experiences:
One thing I've really enjoyed being involved with at UNL is the figure skating club! I love all the friends I've made and the people I've learned so much from. Getting involved really helped me grow from being the shy person I was in high school. Something I participated in that is connected to my major but outside of UNL was observing an autopsy. I think it's important for people going into the forensic anthropology field to get as involved into human anatomy as possible.
Post-Graduation Plans:
My post-grad plans are to go to the University of Tennessee to enroll in their graduate program and the Forensic Anthropology Center!
Favorite book and why?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. I really love thriller, mystery, and science fiction books and Dark Matter is all of that wrapped up into one. It's a mind-bending and relentlessly surprising story about time travel, the hardships of love, the nature of reality and identity, and throughout the book Crouch has you questioning whether or not what you see is real. After reading this, I couldn't pick up another book because my mind was just so stuck on this one.
Favorite movie and why?
Interstellar is my favorite movie by far. It follows a story about an astronaut-turned-farmer who is a devoted father who makes the difficult decision to leave his family to go with a group of researchers into space in hopes of finding a future for their dying planet. I've always been intrigued by space and the universe, and Interstellar explores the topic of wormholes, time, and the foundations of the universe. It is also so visually captivating and truly makes you wonder about the meaning of everything.
