Students Profile

Ford Scholars

Class of 2015

Three anthropology majors in the class of 2015 are among just 20 students college-wide to be selected for the prestigious Ford Apprentice Scholars program. They will participate in a two-year colloquium, including a collaborative research project with a faculty member during the summer of 2014. The College provides funding for both the research project and the presentation of findings at a professional conference during the senior year.

Cecily Bacon '15

Cecily Bacon ’15
Major: Anthropology & International Studies
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Cecily is works at the college writing center, and she is a member of both the Eckerd College Homeless Outreach program (ECHO) and Student Voices for Planned Parenthood. She participated in archaeological field research in The Bahamas during winter 2013, and she plans to study abroad in Peru in spring 2014. Her faculty sponsor in the Ford program is Professor Allan Meyers.

Dustin Smith '15

Dustin Smith ’15
Major: Anthropology & International Business
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Rocky River, Ohio

As an Eckerd student, Dustin has studied abroad in Europe and Southeast Asia, and she plans to study abroad in Peru in spring 2014. As Ford Scholar, she intends to undertake a research project on business policy and practice in Latin America. Her faculty sponsor in the Ford program is Professor Morris Shapero.

Ellie Finkenaur '15

Ellie Finkenaur ’15
Major: Anthropology & Spanish
Minor: Latin American Studies
Hometown: Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

She is an active performance artist on campus and she volunteers at a local high school. She studied Spanish language intensively in Spain during the 2013 winter term, and she plans to undertake an ethnographic research project in Mexico or another Latin American country as a Ford Scholar. Her faculty sponsor in the Ford program is Professor Yolanda Molina-Gavilan.

Class of 2014

Three anthropology majors in the class of 2014 are among just 18 students college-wide to be selected for the prestigious Ford Apprentice Scholars program. They will participate in a two-year colloquium designed to develop the skills and habits of professional scholars, and they will undertake a collaborative research project with an anthropology faculty member during the summer of 2013. The College provides funding for both the research project and the presentation of findings at a professional conference during the senior year.

Miranda Watrous '14

Miranda Watrous ’14
Major: Anthropology & French
Minor: Human Development
Hometown: Concord, New Hampshire

Miranda coordinates the EC Tritones a campus a cappella group, and she serves as the director of student government elections. For these efforts, she was awarded the Bevan Memorial Scholarship at Eckerd in spring 2012. Miranda studied in London during fall 2011, and she plans to pursue a career in international education. Her faculty sponsor in the Ford Scholars program is Professor Allan Meyers.

Karyn Paradis '14

Karyn Paradis ’14
Major: Anthropology
Minor: French
Hometown: New Hartford, Connecticut

She anticipates studying in France or Morocco during spring 2013. Her future plans include graduate studies in maritime archaeology, and her faculty sponsor is Professor Scott Burnett.

Lorel Schmitzberger '14

Lorel Schmitzberger ’14
Major: Anthropology & International Studies
Minor: German
Hometown: Lakeland, Florida

She conducted ethnographic research in the Czech Republic during summer 2012, and she plans to study in Germany or Austria during spring 2013. She intends to pursue an international career related to cultural anthropology, and her faculty sponsor is Professor Meyers.