Discovering History, From Wallowa to Croatia

Bright lights and pristine workstations line the room, ready for action.

Deep in the basement of EOU’s Ackerman Hall, the former elementary school, is the brand-new anthropology classroom and lab. A space designed for students to really own, while they explore the worlds, techniques, and processes of anthropology and archaeology.

In the corner, stacked nearly to the ceiling are tattered old boxes with smudged labeling and layers of dirt from storage, filled with known and unknown contents and artifacts, waiting to be studied.

“We’re thrilled to have this new lab and class space,” said Rory Becker, professor of anthropology at Eastern Oregon University. “We can manage, stage gear, treat everything properly and know artifacts won’t be disturbed. The stations really expand our capacity in the things and ways we teach.”

EOU admissions counselor and 2019 Anthropology alum, Berenice Chavez is excited for the possibilities the new lab brings for students. “It makes so much sense to have this space right there. It’s going to open up a lot of opportunities for students. It’s a place they can gather, have their own space together to learn, and share their ideas and passions. I can’t wait to see how it’s going to further unfold and impact the ability for hands-on learning in a way we’ve never been able to do before.”

The lab is only a part of the broader archaeology story being told. “Local projects find me more often than not,” Becker said with a smile. “I get 50 to 70 calls per year with people who found something and ask us to come dig it up and check out the space. Then we evaluate each scenario to determine what’s going to be really productive for the students.”

Students studying in the Anthropology/Sociology program select which concentration to pursue and then take courses based on their interests and career trajectories. “I try to demystify [archaeology] early. I didn’t know what I was going to do with [my degree], I just knew I liked it. I tell the students to ‘just follow your interests and see where it takes you’” Becker said. “That’s what makes EOU’s program so different from others: we focus on the hands-on experiences and make sure there are opportunities.”

“You can go anywhere in the world, or stay right in your backyard,” said Becker of the field of archaeology. And that’s just what EOU students experience. Currently, Becker and students work with the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center for real-world fieldwork at the Maxville townsite, approximately thirty minutes north of Wallowa, Oregon. The land is privately owned so there is no danger of it being logged or developed. “For years we’ll be able to take students there so they can do test excavations and real fieldwork,” Becker said.

Beyond eastern Oregon, students from EOU have the opportunity to join a field school with the University of Wyoming and go on four-week long digs in Croatia. There are several projects in Croatia, and through grant funding, costs are kept low for students. “I had a really positive study-abroad experience myself and want to make sure students can participate,” Becker said of the field school program. “An important piece of this is the fact that EOU students get to go places they never thought they would, and do things they never thought they could. It can be incredibly overwhelming to be in a new environment, without speaking the local language, doing fieldwork for more than ten hours a day, six days a week. But it’s so rewarding.”

The first Croatia field school was in 2014 with three EOU students in attendance and occurs every other year. “Coming into college, I never thought I was going to study abroad,” said Chavez. At the time, it seemed like a fun idea, but the process seemed really stressful. I had never been outside Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and my first time stepping on a plane, I was headed to Croatia.”

Chavez, from Umatilla, Oregon, graduated from EOU with degrees in Anthropology and Art and received upper division credit for her time spent in Croatia, which applied directly to her degree. “I’m so glad I was approached for this opportunity,” Chavez said. “The fact we got to go to another country and experience a different culture, it was a really well-rounded experience. I got to learn about the culture, the language and explore the cultural anthropology side, taking in the museums, art work, art history, architecture.” Fieldwork and hands-on learning create opportunities for not only meaningful interactions between students and their faculty, but also interactive experiences to help students build confidence to enter the world boldly and proudly. “Rory Becker approached me to consider the Croatia trip,” said Chavez. “I don’t know that I would have sought it out; I would have been scared to even consider it on my own. But, we have the opportunity to have these meaningful conversations and relationships with our professors. I’m grateful for it opening me up to embracing this type of journey and experience. It’s opened me up to want to keep exploring.”