Kelly Elaine Blevins ’14 is working on a Master of Science (MSc) degree at Durham University in England. Herconcentration is paleopathology – the study of disease in the past using human remains and documentary evidence. She is interested in the interaction between infectious disease and past populations.
Why did you choose to attend Appalachian State University?
I chose to attend Appalachian State University based on its location in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I wanted to live in a town where I could run through a meadow, climb a peak, skip rocks on a lake, float on a river, and watch the sun set behind a mountain all in one day.
Why did you choose to study biological anthropology?
I was originally a chemistry major, but I strayed into the anthropology department when I realized my biology classes were not satisfying my curiosity about human evolution. I had no idea what anthropology was before my first class, but I quickly fell in love with the interdisciplinary study of humanity, past and present.
How did your education at Appalachian prepare you for your graduate studies?
Unlike undergraduate studies, graduate studies are internally motivated. You ask your own questions based on your own observations. Appalachian’s anthropology department prepared me for graduate school by encouraging me to be an independent researcher.
What do you plan to do after your graduate education?
I plan to continue my graduate education in a Ph.D. program with the ultimate goal of being a professor of anthropology.
How has Appalachian helped you reach your career goals?
Appalachian’s Department of Anthropology is comprised of excellent academics who are dedicated to the discipline and to teaching. As a whole, the faculty instilled in me the confidence and ability to further my education, as well as educate others. I had the opportunity to perform collaborative research with my advisor, Dr. Robbins Schug; design and teach lesson plans for lab classes; and use departmental resources to introduce anthropology at local elementary schools.
