Newly Minted Alum Sophia Hill 23F Finds Expansive Support for Anthropology and Advocacy Studies

What did you study? What was your Div III project?

My concentration was anthropology and American studies (specifically Appalachia). For my Div III, I used a cultural and political ecology approach to analyze ethnographic interviews about the environment with my family in Pike County, Kentucky, in central Appalachia. What this showed me is that communities with extractive economies such as coal mining have fostered a resentful attitude toward the natural world, even after the industries have died down.

Because of this negative relationship, policy and development decisions regarding increased flooding/climate change have continued to work against nature rather than in conjunction with it. The goal of my research is to show how this relationship was established, which will, I hope, provide insight into how to encourage different, more sustainable choices.

How has your work developed and changed since you came to Hampshire? Is it what you thought you’d be focusing on when you came?

I transferred to Hampshire in the fall of 2023 from New College of Florida. I already knew that I wanted to focus on anthropology in the United States, but Hampshire and the Five College Consortium allowed me to expand far beyond what I ever thought possible. I was able to find funding for my research trips through such Hampshire grants as the Ethics and Common Good Fund and the David E. Smith Division III Grant in American Studies, as well as Environments and Change and (In)Justice Seed Funding.

I was also awarded the Lorna Peterson Prize for cross-campus collaboration by the consortium. I worked at the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center for my Community-Engaged Learning credit, which led to a poster presentation with other Five College students at the 2024 National Women’s Studies Association Conference in Detroit.

In addition, I had teaching and research experiences on multiple campuses. This semester, I was a lead TA for a UMass course on forensic anthropology and violence theory. I’ve presented twice at the Five College Undergraduate Anthropology Conference as well as the Bioarchaeologists Northeast Regional Dialogue on ethics-centered instruction when utilizing human remains in a classroom setting.

I’ve had the opportunity to dip my toes into multiple fields of research, which has helped me home in on what I really want for my future. When I arrived at Hampshire, I was a little lost, but now I know that I want a career in advocacy and engaged social research. I’m applying to graduate school this semester, so . . . fingers crossed!

Have any particular professors/advisors/staff members been especially inspiring or supportive? In what way?

SHIFT Assistant Professor of Applied Ethics and the Common Good Jina Fast and Nathalie Arnold (Koenings), professor of anthropology, literary arts, and African studies, have both been hugely influential on my trajectory at Hampshire. They were on my committees since day one and have advised me on everything from research questions to funding applications. They’ve both been an incredibly grounding presence in my academic life here.

What do you do for fun?

I’m kind of a homebody, so a fun time for me usually involves hanging out with my roommates or watching a movie. My weekly must-do activities are the Amherst Farmers Market and walking in the Hampshire woods for fresh air.