Kelsey Monroe ’24

Before attending SUNY Purchase, I thought I had a good understanding of what Anthropology was. I had seen movies and TV shows where an anthropologist is akin to a swashbuckling pirate or a scientist with an encyclopedic knowledge about humanity. When I took Introduction to Anthropology my first year with Dr.Kim, I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was. Not only did I study cultures around the globe, but I was able to delve deep into regional subcultures that I may have never been exposed to otherwise. I learned to truly appreciate the power of a story. I was able to connect with people through interviews and taking life histories to fully grasp the personal reactions to cultural and historic moments in time.   

I specifically chose anthropology because I wanted a program that would allow me to explore a wide-range of interests. I love to study culture, but I also love history, science, art, and music. With Dr.Plourde, I was able to study Fieldwork Methods as well as the Anthropology of Sound and Ethnomusicology. I was lucky enough to become the teaching assistant for the Ethnomusicology course. I wanted my studies to be boundless. At SUNY Purchase, I was able to take a double minor in Visual arts and Global Black Studies. I was able to incorporate my minor studies into my Senior Project thesis, Not Made For Me: The Racialized Nature of Tween Pop Music. I was invited to present my senior project at the 42nd annual NSS Student Research Symposium in 2024.

Following graduation in 2024, I began working for Historic Hudson Valley, an organization operating several historic sites in the area. I started as a Museum Educator at Philipsburg Manor, a historic site that teaches the history of slavery in the Colonial North. On top of diving deep into local history, I learned to weave, spin yarn, process wheat, preserve food, and how to operate an 18th century working grist mill. In 2025, I was promoted to K-12 Program Assistant where I continue to aid in the coordination of educational programming at five historic sites in the Hudson Valley. Throughout 2025, I have engaged with students and families in the community to make local history education more accessible. I have traveled around Westchester to elementary school classes to educate students about African American holidays and cultural traditions. In the Summer of 2025, I was invited to join a panel of experts in a seminar aimed at helping teachers around the country educate students on the history of enslavement in a comprehensive and respectful manner. With this organization, I have been able to build connections within the community and help to ensure that history is not forgotten.