The Washington Archaeology Mentorship Program: Community Tools for Addressing Systemic Inequalities

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The field of archaeology, and especially the cultural resource management (CRM) industry, faces ongoing systemic inequalities in access to training and employment. The gaps between demand, recruitment, and retention of archaeologists continue to widen annually. One way that this problem manifests is through a lack of networking opportunities and appropriate mentorship for students within the discipline. Archaeology students are often not aware of the career opportunities available to them, or are unsure how to achieve their career goals and aspirations. In an effort to address these issues, the Association for Washington Archaeology has developed a Mentorship Program. To date, the program has assisted dozens of students and emerging professionals by connecting them with established archaeologists impacting archaeology throughout the Pacific Northwest. The program also offers structured meetings, workshops, and unique opportunities to become more involved in archaeological programs throughout the region. This presentation discusses the goals, logistics, and challenges of managing a virtual mentorship program, as well as answering questions for those interested in applying the Washington model to their own state.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37294.0