About Anthropology

The WWU Department of Anthropology provides an outstanding and inclusive learning environment that integrates education, scholarship, and service to engage students in the subfields of Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology, Linguistic Anthropology, and both Biological and Medical Anthropology.

Our curriculum is designed to help our students master anthropological principles and learn advanced technical lab and field skills to address a wide range of anthropological questions.

Our recent graduates work in a wide array of fields, including cultural resource management, nursing, public health, global technology, higher education, and museum research and design, among many diverse and exciting fields. 

Canoe Journey from Camano Island, 2022 Field Season of the x̌ʷiq̓ʷix̌ʷalqʷuʔ (Blue Water) Archaeological Project

 Impact

Undergraduate Research and Experiences

Your gift to the Department of Anthropology this year will fund student research and travel to conferences, educational and networking opportunities, and most importantly, scholarships, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students. 

A small subset of the collections in the
Dr. Stevenson Osteology Lab.

 Graduate Student Research

As you may know, the anthropology graduate program is one of the largest graduate programs at WWU. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer all of our students teaching assistantships as a way to offset some of their costs.  

We’ve launched a campaign to help address the funding gap for anthropology graduate students and encourage you to donate to the Anthropology Department Fund or the Anthropology Scholarship Fund. 

A student in Dr. Monson's Primate Evolution Lab creates a 3-D model using a  handheld scanner.

Anthropology Department Funds

This fund supports a wide array of needs in the Anthropology Department, from research lab enhancements and equipment to undergraduate and graduate research funds. This year we seek funds to enhance graduate student stipends and research.

Anthropology Scholarships

These funds provide support for research, including faculty-mentored student research and student scholarships, including underrepresented and first-generation students. This year we seek funds to enhance graduate student summer research. 

Friends of Anthropology Undergraduate Research Fund

Undergraduates from the foundation of the department, and gifts to this fund support the massive demand for undergraduate research experiences and advanced training.

Grabert Scholarship

This scholarship honors beloved archaeology professor Dr. Garland Grabert. Gifts to this fund support research opportunities, including the archaeological research that was central to Dr. Grabert. 

Herbert Taylor Endowment

Dr. Taylor and the legacy of lively lectures and field trips is celebrated through this memorial scholarship. With your gift, students for years to come will be able to visit and learn at the many museums and research sites, including those in the Pacific Northwest and Coast Salish Region, or engage in other research and learning experiences.

Joan Stevenson Endowment for Anthropology Student Support

This fund honors Dr. Joan Stevenson, and the thousands of students she taught, by establishing an endowment for student research and travel --activities that were near and dear to Dr. Stevenson’s heart because she knew how impactful these experiences are for students. Your gift will provide funding for students to conduct research or attend academic conferences.

Thank you for your support of WWU Anthropology!