Alumni

Ryan Boyd

RyanBoyd

I am currently a Civic Data Research Associate at the Center for Tech and Civic Life where I conduct research on federal, statewide, county, and sub-county elections throughout the United States (including the five territories). The main focus of my job is to make sure that voters are informed about elections happening in their area and are prepared to be civically engaged in American democracy.

Click to Read more My degree in Anthropology has helped me a lot in the past few years, whether it be refining research and critical thinking skills for graduate school, overcoming and exploring barriers of cultural difference, or simply learning how to communicate questions and ideas to others. My degree in Anthropology has also taught me a lot about the world and how I exist in it, the impact I can have, and the tools I need to navigate it. Anthropology has allowed me to view the world through a multitude of perspectives that I wouldn't have thought of before. I feel extremely lucky to have studied Anthropology at Willy P and to have learned so much from the amazing professors in the department. Studying anthropology has shaped me into the researcher and person that I am today, and I'm sure it could do the same for you.

I am currently completing my Masters in Biological Anthropology at NYU with a focus in Human Skeletal Biology. My thesis focuses on the possible utilization of radiocarbon analysis of bone in determining time since death of unknown remains, both in single and mass grave contexts. I have interned and worked with the Forensic Anthropology Unit of the NJ State Police, with the Forensic Anthropology Unit of the Chief Medical Examiner's Office of NYC, and with Todd Disotell in his Molecular Anthropology lab at NYU.

Click to Read more Currently, while completing my thesis, I am teaching as an adjunct lecturer at both Brooklyn College and Caldwell University. I hope to continue my education and earn my PhD before moving to work in Forensic Anthropology. While doing so, I will work as a Medicolegal Professional and continue teaching! My degree in Anthropology not only gave me the foundation to discover my passion, but also the necessary skills to analytically and critically look at the world around me. Anthropology is a diverse field with even more diverse applications of the core skills and thinking taught during a BA. Even outside of my work in the fields of Anthropology, Forensics, and Education, the skills that I learned through my education in Anthropology aided me at every step. There will never be a moment when critical thinking, problem solving, and being able to look at the world through a lens not occluded by my personal experiences and life won’t be useful. 

Amanda Brady

AmandaBrady

Nashel Brantly

NashelBrantley

I’m in the clinical and counseling masters program at William Paterson and I use my anthropology degree to include and prioritize oppressed and marginalized people in psychology research.

I am currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science & Management at Montclair State University while also employed as a Teaching Assistant within the department. Anthropology has played a large role in my career and educational endeavors within the role of environmental science. Courses offered within the Anthropology department have afforded me the knowledge and skills that are necessary for my current research. Anthropology helped me glean a greater understanding of the disconnect between the scientific community and the public in relation to the dissemination of scientific information.

Click to Read more Anthropology has provided me with skills necessary to apply qualitative methods to explore climatic changes on various populations as well as complex human-environmental relationships. My goal is to continue conducting research and amalgamating an anthropological perspective into climate change discourse in order to expand our thinking on human-environmental relationships.

Rae Cade

RaeCade

Kelle Carbone

KelleCarbone

Kelle teaches Gender Studies and Social Justice at Rutgers University - Camden, University of Louisville, and William Paterson University. He is also currently pursuing an M.S. degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and aspires to open a clinic to serve marginalized communities.

My name is Jin, and I am the Outreach Coordinator for JoyDew Foundation, an employment program for adults on the Autism Spectrum. My degree in Anthropology has helped me build connections with diverse communities and organizations to advocate for and empower those in need.

Jin Choi

JinChoi

Meredith Fazzone

MeredithFazzone

I am currently a Rutgers Camden School of Law JD Candidate 2023. While pursuing my degree, I am also an Admissions Navigator at Rowan College at Burlington County. My experiences in Anthropology helped sharpen my commitment to addressing inequalities and social justice. I hope to bring these commitments to my legal career addressing access to healthcare and insurance.

I currently have the privilege of working with eighth grade students as an English Language Arts teacher and am pursuing a masters degree in curriculum and instruction. I hope to continue the work I began as an undergraduate anthropology student in exploring avenues in which anthropology can be integrated into middle school curricula as a way of humanizing educational practices.

Click to Read more My degree in anthropology has equipped me to approach classroom life and relationships with transparency, authenticity, and relevancy; it has enabled and empowered me to make instructional decisions in the classroom that reflect the lived and contextual realities of my students.

Kelly Ginart

KellyGinart

Siana Lita

SianaLita

After spending my senior year interning at a non-profit sustainable farm under the Department of Anthropology, I was inspired to pursue environmental issues and their connection to economic and social instability. This coming summer I’ll be expanding my farm experience in the Alps, where I hope to improve upon the skill set I received under the Department’s mentorship and use my knowledge to pursue graduate studies in sustainable urban development for the benefit of underserved people in my community.

I currently serve as a youth and advocacy coordinator for the Children’s Defense Fund -New York. Studying anthropology further connected me with my life’s passion of paying it forward in communities of color and immersing myself in boots on the ground efforts in or around social justice. Anthropology motivated me pursue a masters degree in public administration and prepare law school applications, to continue advocating for policy agendas that reflect the needs of those in Black and Brown communities. Anthropology provided a foundation of cultural, social, and ethnographic content that I put into practice everyday. For those lessons I’m truly grateful.

Hassanah Smith

HassanahSmith

Priscilla Cordero

PriscillaCoredero

I am currently the community engagement and audience development manager at Paper Mill Playhouse, a Tony award winning regional theater here in New Jersey. My position is a brand new one created to improve the cultural experience and meaning of the art we publicly share. I majored in Anthropology with minors in a music studies, and media studies , and a performing and literary arts honors track. My degree primed me for a career that would throw me into the broad world of arts and culture. After graduation, I worked at The Kennedy Center (the national performing arts center) in community engagement and at the D.C. Commission of Arts and Humanities (an entity of the D.C. local government) in their grants department.

Mark Travis Rivera (c/o 2015, EOF, Women's and Gender Studies major) is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant. He works with various companies across sectors (higher education, arts non-profit, and corporate) to improve the workplace culture so marginalized individuals can feel a sense of belonging. As a professional storyteller, Mark has spoken to audiences at Harvard University, MIT, NYU, Rutgers, and other colleges across the nation. As a disabled choreographer, commissions include Fresh Meat Productions, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Ballet Forte, and Rosa L. Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts. At 17, he was the youngest person in the United States to artistically direct an integrated contemporary dance company for disabled and non-disabled dancers, marked dance project from 2009-2019. His debut collection of poetry and essays, Drafts: An Imperfect Collection of Writing, was published through Amazon in 2017. He is currently working on his second collection, Yearning, which he hopes to publish by late 2022. You can learn more about Mark by visiting www.MarkTravisRivera.com

Mark Travis Rivera

MarkRivera