“You have persevered. This speaks to your character, your courage and your resilience.”
— Cynthia Wilczak, Professor and Department of Anthropology Chair
Anthropology Distinguished Undergraduate Award: Kendall Nelson
Kendall Nelson is honored for her outstanding academic achievements and contributions to the Department.
Her work in the upper division classes showed original insights, rigorous research and a deep understanding of the theoretical foundations of the field. Not only did she excel academically but she independently helped tutor and mentor her peers. Kendall presented one of her research projects on the effects of visitors on chimpanzee stress and aggressive behaviors at the LCA Undergraduate Research Showcase in Spring 2019.
Anthropology Distinguished Graduate Student and LCA College Hood Recipient : Jessica Dailey
Jessica Dailey thesis titled, “Choosing Resistance: Social Power and Alternative Birth Care in Sonoma County, California”, is recognized for its excellence, originality, and significance to the field. Jessica received the 2018 Jay P. Young Excellence Award to support the fieldwork portion of her research. In this thesis, Jessica’s ethnographic interviews with pregnant women, new mothers, and practitioners of alternative birth care explored a central paradox: specifically, that while medical alternatives are frequently favored by social groups who enjoy disproportionate social power and privilege, these groups perceive themselves as culturally marginalized. Jessica is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame.