A student works at an archaeology site.

Social scientists at the forefront

In summer 2022, Dr. Laura Murphy’s students in AN372/KS399 Archaeological Field School teamed up with the Kansas State Historical Society and the Kansas Anthropological Association for excavations at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park site. Washburn students spent two weeks putting their archaeological skills to work as they were able to dig, trowel, measure, map, photograph and collect artifacts for lab analysis as part of their class. At the end of the field school, students presented a summary of their work at the department’s Archaeological Field School Open House.

Collaboration from the field site continued into the fall semester with a roundtable discussion,“Broadening Brown’s Impact: Toward Inclusive Pedagogies in Archaeological Research” at the Michael Tilford Conference on Diversity and Multiculturalism. The roundtable focused on inclusive pedagogies and strategies for continued community engagement and the importance of Black voices in archaeological interpretation. Presenters included Dr. Laura Murphy, Nikki Klarmann, Interim State Archeologist at the Kansas State Historical Society, and B.A. in Anthropology students Kiwenke Hubbard, Lisa Larson and Tori Shaw.

Bods’ adventures in and out of the classroom

Students in our Sociology and Anthropology classes this semester had numerous hands-on educational opportunities! Students in Dr. Sangyoub Park’s SO300 K-Pop learned how to write the Korean language, Hangul. Dr. Lindsey Ibañez’s SO100 Introduction to Sociology (Honors class), shared their research and delicious food, which faculty and staff enjoyed, for their semester-long Kansas Cookbook Project.

Faculty, staff and students sample food part of the Kansas cookbook project.
A student holds up a keychain with Korean words on it.
A student smiles holding a framed piece with Korean words on it.

Community Action Diaper Drive

Every spring the students in "SO310: Social Class in the US" at Washburn University host a diaper drive in order to raise money and collect diaper donations for Community Action of Topeka. Since the diaper drive started in 2018 they've collected more than 6,000 individual diapers and more than $4,275 in donations.

GET IN TOUCH WITH Sociology & Anthropology department

Sociology & Anthropology department
Henderson Learning Resource Center, Room 218
1700 SW College Ave.
Topeka, KS 66621

Connect
Phone: 785.670.1608
sociology-anthropology@washburn.edu
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