UNM anthropology major Jamie Stevens was awarded a $5,000 scholarship by the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Native American Undergraduate Scholarship in what is an international competition.

“Thanks to this scholarship, the financial burden of tuition is alleviated for much of next school year. Additionally, I hope to use part of it to fund my participation in a field school,” said Stevens.

Even though she has many responsibilities in her hands, Stevens won’t have to worry about having the resources to focus on her studies, “I am married with two children and funding my education has been challenging. This award is such incredible help for our family, and makes our family decision to remain committed to my college career much, much easier.”

Stevens is from the Pueblo of Isleta and is pursuing a BA, concentrating in archaeology with a minor in museum studies. Her interests are in the history of indigenous societies of the New World, interactions between societies who are separated by vast distances, and how people adapted in the past both to changing environments.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, Stevens plans to continue her education. “I hope to attend graduate school and eventually receive my Ph.D. in archaeology,” she said. “I love archaeology so much, and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to continue studying it.”

As a member of an underrepresented Native group in the field of archaeological sciences she is honored to serve as an ambassador to the anthropological community. The SAA Native American Scholarship competition is open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Indigenous Pacific Islanders.