Claire Norton ’17 Demonstrates Excavation Skills Working with Prominent Archaeological Field Program

a young white female student on an archaeological dig site
Claire Norton (Class of 2017)

Over the course of the summer, Claire Norton ’17 was selected to work as a paid intern with the Women in Archeology Program at the Center for American Archeology (CAA) in Kampsville, IL, one of the most prominent and long-lasting archaeological field programs in the United States. 

“As the only undergraduate student in the internship program, I found that the anthropology and sociology department at Rhodes has helped me build the skills necessary to succeed in the field,” says Norton. “Not only was I selected to work with such an esteemed organization, but I also found the confidence to work with other women who are rising scholars in the field of archaeology.” 

The internship included Norton working with a field school for high school and adult students from across the United States, excavating a prehistoric, Middle to Late Woodland, archaeological site in the lower Illinois River Valley. She also had a chance to share her knowledge of field work she gained from working as a member of Rhodes’ Archaeology Field School and serving as a Rhodes Student Associate in the archaeology lab with Prof. Kimberly Kasper.

As a senior anthropology/sociology major this year, Norton says she looks forwards to utilizing and incorporating the professional skills that she gained this summer.