Shining Student Amy Cran

ULethbridge was the right place for Amy Cran because she had heard many positive things about the professors. She attributes much of her success and growth as a student to these professors, who have shown her support and encouragement throughout her degree.

There is a lot of value in trying courses beyond the scope of your major and exploring your interests. If I hadn't followed my interest in anthropology, I would have never even dreamed of switching my major, never mind pursuing graduate school in the discipline, which I now hope to do.

Meet Amy | Thoughtful. Passionate. Determined.
Program: Bachelor of Arts | Major: Anthropology

Please tell us about your work-integrated learning experiences at ULethbridge?

I completed an independent study in the Department of Anthropology supervised by Dr. Patrick Wilson during the second year of my degree. My research centred on the discourse surrounding supervised consumption sites in Lethbridge, the related (often racialized) assumptions about those who access these services, and how this, in turn, reflects ideas of belonging and ‘proper’ citizenship in Lethbridge. My study involved analyzing Facebook comments that took a negative stance towards supervised consumption sites in the city written in response to local news articles. This format was very effective during the COVID-19 pandemic when ‘typical’ fieldwork would not have been possible. After finishing my independent study, Dr. Wilson helped me prepare my article for submission to an undergraduate journal—I’m still waiting to hear back!

What has been your most memorable ULethbridge experience?

My most memorable ULethbridge experience was tutoring for Dr. Jan Newberry’s Anthropology 1000 course. The course uses a team-based learning model, which means that students are grouped in teams of about five to six students and work together on application and test days. Tutors worked with teams one on one to help them work through problems on application days and to make sure things ran smoothly during tests. We also got to hold biweekly tutorials to help students review for tests. Every part of the experience was great—I loved getting to work closely with a professor, graduate student, and senior students in the department, and especially help introduce students to a discipline that I’m very passionate about. The experience definitely played a big role in convincing me to make a permanent switch to a major in anthropology and gave me a significant confidence boost.

What is the most important lesson you have learned so far at ULethbridge?

There is a lot of value in trying courses beyond the scope of your major and exploring your interests. If I hadn't followed my interest in anthropology, I would have never even dreamed of switching my major, never mind pursuing graduate school in the discipline, which I now hope to do.

Is there someone specific who has had an important influence on your ULethbridge experience?

The Department of Anthropology has had a significant impact on my experience at ULethbridge. We always joke in the Department about students being ‘converted’ to anthropology majors because many of us start in other disciplines before making the switch. Still, apart from being a great running joke, I think this speaks a lot about how fantastic our professors and administrative staff are. Specifically, Dr. Steve Ferzacca played a big role in convincing me to make a more permanent switch to anthropology, for which I'm very grateful. Dr. Jan Newberry has been a major source of encouragement and always points students towards new opportunities, if not creating them herself. Dr. Patrick Wilson has also given me a lot of guidance, especially while I completed my independent study, and encouraged me to submit my article to an undergraduate journal, something I wouldn’t have considered reaching for on my own.

Is there anything you wish you knew in your first semester that you know now?

The library has a lot more resources than students probably realize, including research help and subject librarians. I can’t count the number of times I’ve contacted staff not sure if my question was something they could help me with, and they ended up having just the answer I needed. Rhys Stevens, the subject librarian for anthropology, has helped me untangle my citation issues more than once.

What advice would you give to those about to begin their ULethbridge journey?

There is no such thing as a ‘good’ major—it’s all what you make of it. Perspectives from different people and different disciplines are needed to solve any problem.

Favourite class: Anthropology of Gender

Favourite social activity at ULethbridge: Anything that involves talking about anthropology!

Favourite place to study: My dorm room with a cup of tea