Students pose in front of an info-board for anthropology day//millersville.edu
Marti Zimmerman
Staff Writer
Edited by Morgan Huber
Anthropology Club, an organization at Millersville for students interested in the study of human cultures and societies, got a fresh start this semester, the club launched fully after four to five years of inactivity. in the spring of 2021, but . Faltering from a super active group right before covid, the pandemic and subsequent quarantine unfortunately forced the club to go dormant for some time. Now that the university community is mainly back in full swing, some anthropology students decided to revitalize the organization.
President Haley Ahr worked with Professor Marlene Arnold and a few other students to restart the club. Even though she is a senior, Ahr wanted to help get the club up and running to pass it on to others when she graduates.
“At first, I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t think I would be able to start a club,” says Ahr. “I’m proud of myself and the group for getting this started.”
Members participate in the bi-weekly meetings, where they discuss topics in anthropology and pursue career and subject-oriented opportunities. A recent activity the club did was making witch bottles, a concept talked about in many archeology classes that the students of the department take. These witch bottles, filled with nails, salts, and acidic ingredients, wrapped in twine, and sealed with wax, are made to ward off curses that might have been put on a person in the colonial United States and 17th century England.
The activity was one of the biggest events so far for the smaller club which is still getting established. But this is the kind of activity that brings students together and creates conversation among students.
The club restarted with a push by Arnold and Ahr.
“I see Anthropology club as an opportunity for students to create a community and build on the opportunity that starts from the field school, to create collaboration for students to learn and share and recruitment of new students,” says Arnold. “We are always looking for new students, and you do not have to be an Anthropology major to get involved.”
The club can also help encourage more students to join the major or at least acquire an interest in the study of Anthropology.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to focus on anthropology together and do outreach and field trips,” Arnold says.
The club finds benefits as an extension of the field school and Anthropology program at Millersville, with the hope of possibly extending relationships started in class. The Major is a small community, with the Anthropology club building and strengthening the relationship of that community. Arnold and Ahr want more than just students volunteering to run tables at events and to recruit students.
“The goal is to just have it continue and grow, hosting tabling events, and expanding the department so we do not fall through again,” explains Ahr about her hopes for the future of the club. “We want to keep people interested and give them opportunities.”
Ahr wants the club to stay active and wants to see it grow along with the department.
Check out the club’s Instagram @muanth.club for meeting times for the next semester and feel free to come to join them.
