What is an Anthropologist Anyway?

Fun fact about me, my undergraduate degree is in Cultural Anthropology. Before you get ready to Google, let me explain. It’s not dinosaurs or Indiana Jones stuff, it’s the study of people and their cultures. I have always been fascinated by people and why they do the things that they do. I found myself not only fascinated by cultures but wanting to do something to change the injustices that I learned about. That is NOT part of Anthropology. It’s a study-only type of thing, not a change what’s unfair type of thing. So I was frustrated, but I had earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology.

So what do you do with a degree in Anthropology, you ask? Well, let me tell you…you are amazing at trivia and you go to grad school! After much soul-searching, I decided that the best way to use my degree and tap into my desire to help was to become a social worker. This was confirmed for me when I was asking for grad school recommendations and my professor readily agreed that I’d be a much better social worker than an anthropologist.

Do I use my Anthropology degree? Yes, nearly every day! I have a unique perspective that helps me to understand issues that clients bring to me. I have worked with clients from different cultures, faiths and identities than my own in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to without that Anthropology degree.