Washington Association of
Professional Anthropologists
 

Consider Becoming a Student Board Member!

The WAPA student board member serves as a liaison between WAPA and the student community, offers comments and suggestions on WAPA programs and activities, and helps involve students in WAPA. The main responsibility is to attend periodic board meetings and most monthly meetings, and to keep WAPA informed about student realities and needs. Other, specific duties will be developed with the student's interests in mind, but may involve activities with the membership, newsletter and mentor program chairs.

Successful student board members are proactive and interested in helping strengthen WAPA as an organization that can serve both the student community specifically and the professional anthropology community at large. The student board member works directly with the WAPA president and other board members as needed.

There are several benefits for the WAPA student board member. Most important, this is an excellent opportunity for networking with anthropologists in the DC area. Attendance at annual professional meetings can be quite costly; as a key player in this local practitioner organization, you can easily meet other anthropologists working in your sector (e.g., environment, policy, health, development, archaeology, government), and other anthropology students. This position offers an excellent resume enhancement, and also helps develop such professional skills as outreach and event organizing. Learn what it takes to run a volunteer-based organization, and learn what local anthropologists are doing both inside academia and practicing in the field to solve real world problems.

Past members have helped organize and conduct WAPA workshops, have developed WAPA programs, and have been instrumental in developing and implementing outreach mechanisms to local universities (to students, professors, and academic departments) to ensure these key stakeholders are informed of WAPA activities.

The student attends the WAPA board and committee meetings as available, as well as regular monthly meetings. The three regular WAPA social events also provide an avenue for networking. Board members are receptive to student input, and work to facilitate increased participation of and access to students.

Participation is for a one-year term, from September through August. The application period is April through August.  Click here to download a copy of the application form.

Current Student Board Member
  • 2010-2011: Kirsten J. Benham, U Maryland (pictured)
    

Past student board members:
  • 2009-10: Amy Carattini, U Maryland
  • 2008-09: Jay Cleghorn, Montgomery College, St Mary's College of Maryland
  • 2007-08: Matt Wickens, American U; Alex Antram, George Mason U
  • 2006-07: Chris Partridge, U Maryland
  • 2005-06: Linda Knispel, U Maryland
  • 2004-05: Andrea Goldman, U Maryland
  • 2003-04: Katarina Spears, American U; Amy Hardt, U Maryland
  • 2002-03: Anne Ballenger, Catholic U; Stacey Hockett-Sherlock, U Maryland
 
 
(c) 2012 Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists
Contact WAPADC with questions or comments.