For Undergraduates
Meet Our Students
Jillian Brems 
Jillian writes: "I came to Notre Dame with broad academic interests and no idea what my major would be. Fortunately, it didn't take me long to find anthropology. Sitting in my introductory course, I could hardly believe my good fortune: I had found the perfect discipline. The holistic approach of anthropology would allow me to combine my varied interests, drawing on not only science, but also the humanities. More than that, I found the idea of understanding the perspectives of people different than myself incredibly appealing.
Notre Dame has been a wonderful place to explore my interest in anthropology, exposing me to a variety of engaging courses and presenting me with incredible research opportunities. While I continue to enjoy all of the subfields--I'm a big fan of the methods classes!--my undergraduate work has focused on understanding Irish and Irish-American heritage through historical archaeology. Working on field projects with Dr. Rotman and Dr. Kuijt, I have had opportunities to visit exciting locations and to meet some fascinating people. In addition, I've been able to develop valuable research skills, from applying for funding to writing reports to presenting at conferences.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have had such exciting, formative experiences as an undergraduate. My time at Notre Dame has given me a passion for anthropology that I look forward to developing further at the graduate level."
Kyle Bocinsky
Kyle will be spending this summer in Chicago on a joint Notre Dame/Field Museum internship in archaeology. Few students have embraced our major with such enthusiasm, drawing on the many research and educational opportunities available during his four years in our department. He has helped design museum displays, completed research in archaeological chemistry for an honors thesis, received grant funding for his activities, and presented his work at professional meetings. Kyle’s interests were evident early – one professor proclaimed his sophomore project as a “virtuoso performance!”
Kyle will be moving on to graduate school next semester, taking an arsenal of skills that he has developed here at Notre Dame. We anticipate that his good humor and delight in anthropology will flourish in his graduate studies.
Frank Vento
Currently, I am working with Professor Kuijt, and Professor Schurr on a research project in Ireland funded by a UROP grant. More specifically, I am involved in remote sensing of various cultural sites and determining their archaeological potential through the use of geophysics. While I am still currently involved with the project, I have had an incredible time both collecting data and experiencing various aspects of field research. Getting involved with further anthropology projects, both domestically and abroad, is something that I will definitely continue to be a part of at Notre Dame.
Learn more about Frank >