Four anthropology students from Lee University were invited to present at the Southern Anthropological Society (SAS) Conference held in Birmingham, Ala., March 17.

The students include Emma-Leigh Evors, Abbey Thomas, Jill Veenstra, and Allie Webb.

The SAS is a regional association, and the majority of presenters at the annual meetings are professors and graduate students in anthropology and related fields.

“I was very fortunate to have the SAS accept my students’ abstracts for presentations,” said Dr. Murl Dirksen, anthropology professor. “I believe it was because they are all doing original research on projects that are on the cutting edge of scientific discovery.”

Thomas, a senior anthropology major, presented “Radnaya Mova: The Confusion Surrounding the Belarusian Language.” Her discussion featured a linguistic analysis of Belarusian and the issues surrounding the Belarusian dialect of Trasianka.

“This was truly a day well spent, and I am sure it will prove helpful on resumes and in practice as I look toward graduate school and wherever my career may take me beyond that,” Thomas said.

Veenstra, a senior anthropology major, presented “Reflections on Excavating Fort Armistead, A Cherokee Removal Fort in Tennessee.” In her presentation, she included historical aspects combined with personal experiences to give a better understanding of Fort Armistead and its importance to the historical community.

“Participating in the SAS conference was a stimulating educational experience that has opened many doors for my future,” Veenstra said. “Learning to conduct research along with fieldwork gave me a perspective that will be highly useful in future research endeavors.”

Webb’s presentation was titled “The Ancient Ones: Rock Art and Archaeological Survey in Paradox Valley, Colorado.” She discussed three specific sites in Paradox Valley and how they can help shape our view of the Ancient Indians who inhabited this area.

“This was my first conference, and it was such a great learning experience,” Webb said. “I was able to learn new things by listening to the other presenters, and I was also able to present my own paper to others in my field.”

Dirksen concluded, “Their presentations were excellent and brought honor to the anthropology major, the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department, and Lee University.”

For more information on the Lee’s anthropology program, please contact Dr. Murl Dirksen at mdirksen@leeuniversity.edu. For more information on SAS, visit http://southernanthro.org.



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