National Association for the Practice of Anthropology
Governing Council Today: Niel Tashima on a New NAPA Mentoring Resource
Note: Niel Tashima is Chair of the NAPA Mentoring Committee. To navigate to the pages described below, hover over the “Careers” tab on the top right of the navigation bar above, and select the “Mentoring” or “Mentoring FAQs” drop-down link.
The NAPA Mentor Committee is pleased to announce that a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about mentoring and a career in professional or applied anthropology has recently been posted to the NAPA website and is available here.
The FAQs are divided into several areas of focus to assist students and new professionals as they access the information.
The FAQ webpage begins with:
Things to Remember when Consulting these FAQs and Other Resources
- Use of the FAQs Below
- Gather Information from Many Sources
- International Inquiries
- Alternate Advice on the Same Question
The FAQs themselves are then sorted into seven areas:
Category One: Basics (Anthropology and Applied Anthropology): 7 Questions/Answers
Category Two: Undergraduate Information: 7 Questions/Answers
Category Three: Undergraduate Scenarios: 4 Real-Life Undergraduate Scenarios
Category Four: Understanding Graduate School Programs
– Part One: About Graduate School: 8 Questions/Answers
– Part Two: Getting an MA in an Applied Graduate Program: 8 Questions/Answers
Category Five: Applying to Graduate School: 12 Questions/Answers
Category Six: Applying Anthropology at the PhD Level: 6 Questions/Answers
Category Seven: Next Steps After Graduation: 5 Questions/Answers
Readers can post additional questions and comments after the questions in each category.
The final section, “After the FAQs” invites students and new professionals with further questions to access additional NAPA electronic resources; individuals desiring more tailored responses can engage the NAPA Mentor Match opportunity. NAPA Mentor Match applicants share their educational and professional backgrounds and are then matched with a NAPA volunteer mentor for individualized support.
The fifty-seven FAQs were developed from interactions through the on-going NAPA Mentor program and the committee’s collective experience with mentoring students and new professionals. As the committee developed this set of FAQs, it became clear that creating several areas of focus would assist students and new professionals as they accessed the information.
The NAPA Mentor Committee believes that these FAQs provide a strong introduction to career options and considerations of the application of anthropology in professional settings. These FAQs are designed to be under continual review, development and refinement in order to keep the information fresh and relevant. The field of professional/practicing anthropology is constantly evolving and the opportunities for participation will reflect the creativity of the individual anthropologist. The FAQs should help spark ideas and creative thinking for success.
