Abbie Adams
Abbie Adams loves everything about anthropology. She loves the way it explains so much but leaves more to explore. And as a faculty member teaching it, she encourages her students to dive in and see what’s possible.
What is it about the anthropology field that initially drew you in—and ultimately keeps you interested?
I started my undergraduate experience as chemistry major, and then my second semester I took an anthropology class to fulfill a general requirement. I was hooked! Anthropology and its global and holistic approach asked the questions I had long wondered about but didn’t have a framework to answer. Anthropology allows me to think about humanity through deep time and vast geographical space.
Why do you enjoy teaching in this discipline?
I am all-in for anthropology, because it encourages its practitioners to think critically about human differences, as well as our common experiences. One of the primary tenets of anthropology is cultural relativism, an ethical and methodological commitment to understanding cultural practices and beliefs in the context in which they are practiced. Students can really “dig in” and learn about other cultures as well as their own.
What advice would you give students about how to succeed in college?
Read everything you are assigned and learn how to write. Think of your university experience as an all-you-can-eat buffet. Get your money’s worth and fill your plate! Of course, take an anthropology class or two.
Tell us something most of your students may not know about you.
My great-aunt Alice attended IUP when it was a normal school in the 1920s. Several other of my family members, such as my brother, attended IUP. It’s in my blood!