Last Words by Amanda Pettis

My last semester here at UMD has been exhausting yet exciting. Working with Dr. Linda Belote, and my fellow senior seminar students on this research project has been a really enjoyable experience. We worked hard on our alumni ethnography; creating the survey, sending it out, compiling the data, conducting interviews and in general, trying to stay motivated despite my "senioritis." Linda pushed us to create our best body of work, and I feel that we have thanks to her mentoring and our constant effort to produce and present an excellent research project on UMD anthropology alumni. But we also managed to have fun with it. Whether it was making each other laugh during class (girl scout cookies in our teeth while Linda lectured), or dressing up and acting like "real anthropologists," I feel fortunate to have had such a great group of people to work with. I want to say thanks to Molly, Chris, Trevor and Danita for all their hard work, and for making Cina 214 not such a bad place to be at 8:00 in the morning! I also want to thank the incredible faculty in the anthropology department, not just for their help with this project, but for their wisdom and guidance throughout my years at UMD. Finally, I want to say thanks to Dr. Linda Belote for being so enthusiastic about anthropology, and about the lives of her students. Her attention to detail, her "massaging" our final report to perfection, her bribing us to school so early with tea, her sticky rolls, and for pushing all of us to the limits of our academic ability while embracing us as unique individuals. Thanks everyone!

Chris Flint Final thoughts

Senior Seminar 2000, what a class! This class was one of the most informative that I have taken here at UMD. I started out at this college not knowing what I wanted to take and ended knowing what I wanted to do with my life, and realizing that there actually could be a future in Anthropology. The class was made fun by my fellow students and of course by Linda. Our final project helped me more than anything; the combination of teamwork, interviewing, and public speaking all helped me to realize just what school was supposed to be about. I don't know about worst aspects because frankly there were none in this class (except for the 8am thing but that's what coffee is for), that is what happens when education is done right.

Trevor Swoverland's Final Thoughts

This time spent in Senior Seminar was definitely an excellent way to close my undergraduate education in anthropology. After a couple of years of classes (I enjoyed every anthropology class I took at UMD), it was very interesting to put theories and methods to work. Our class was incredible, in that we managed to do an enormous amount of work together without pulling out our hair. I want to thank my fellow class members for an awesome experience actually doing research together. I also want to thank Linda for pushing us throughout the semester... I don't think any of us realized that we could get this muchdone in fifteen weeks. I also want to thank the anthropology faculty of the Soc./Anth. department for always having their doors open for a chat with a student hooked on their field. This goes especially to Drs. Linda Belote, Sharon Kemp, and John Bower. One bit of advice that I have for prospective anthropology students is that you will get out of your classes whatever you put in to them. Always stay curious, and ask lots of questions!

Molly Murphy's Musings

After first getting to know one another in Anthropological Theories and Methods last semester, Senior Seminar was a time for the five of us to grow even closer. Besides completing all of the work for this project, we found plenty of time to laugh, to reminisce about past courses at UMD, and to ponder about where the future will take us. My experiences with this group and the anthropology department, in particular the fine professors found within it, have all added to my knowledge about the field. Anthropology has taught me the significance of understanding what it means to be human and how, together with other humans, we tell each other the story of our lives. By studying anthropology I have broadened my perspective as to the many-splendoured things extant for all of our being and becoming in the world. And finally, with anthropology I have gained a vocabulary to discuss in an educated manner all of these possibilities. Thank-you to my fellow group members and Linda Belote for helping to make my last semester at UMD so enjoyable. Kudos to all of us!!!

Danita's last words

As an anthropology undergraduate at UMD, I have heard many opinions on my choice of study. Most reactions are positive, but I have definitely encountered the few that think I am wasting my time. This seminar course has strengthened my feeling that anthropology is one of the most valuably areas of study there is. It has been so refreshing, and I have truly enjoyed spending time with the other 'crazy' anthropology students. I could not have asked for a better group of people to stress out and laugh with. The six of us managed to get everything accomplished, even though we never thought it would all come together. Linda, you were a tremendous help, and I look forward to spending more time with you next semester. The UMD anthropology department is so supportive and I am happy to be a part of it-I will miss it when I'm gone. Thanks everyone!!

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