In CollegeFactual’s 2021 ranking of the Best Colleges for Anthropology, Monmouth University placed #8 out of 125 colleges and universities across the United States, an honor reserved for the top 15 percent of schools. CollegeFactual considered a variety of elements to determine their rankings, including available scholastic resources, the percentage of students who complete their degrees, students’ post-graduating earnings, and the program’s accreditation.
In response to this recognition, Richard Veit, Ph.D., Dean and Professor of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said, “It is thrilling to have Monmouth University’s Anthropology Program recognized as one of the finest in the nation.” Veit emphasized that this award rightly spotlights the school’s commitment to deliver quality education, largely due to the dedication of its staff.
“Our anthropologists, Professors Bludau, Davidov, DelPrete, Heinrich, and Nappi, as well as our faculty colleagues in History and Geography, have built a program that we can all be proud of,” stated Veit.
Chris DeRosa, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair of the History and Anthropology, mirrored Dr. Veit’s sentiments, explaining that the school’s ranking has “a lot to do with our archaeological students moving into dynamic careers in the field shortly after graduation.”
“That’s a credit especially to Dr. Veit, who, in addition to being Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, is also our longest-serving archaeologist. There are a lot of Monmouth Hawk archaeologists out there who learned their trade by studying with him,” said DeRosa.
The University’s Anthropology faculty has made it a point to pursue off-season field studies and encourage internships so as to prepare their students for life after Monmouth.
According to Maryanne Rhett, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in History, “All of our full-time Anthropology faculty— Professor Nappi, Dr. Davidov, Dr. DelPrete, and Dr. Bludau, alongside Dr. Heinrich and Veit— are exemplars of student-centered teaching and learning that have helped the Anthropology program earn this ranking among seriously prestigious programs.”
Rhett also contributed this award to the school’s pursuit and addition of the Masters in Anthropology degree, thereby giving students the opportunity for further continuation in their studies.
Nonetheless, DeRosa attributed this particular honor to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences as a whole. “We offer courses that are taught with compassion and rigor— students and faculty both contribute to that atmosphere. The study of anthropology gives rein to students’ wide-ranging curiosity about the human experience.”
PHOTO COURTESY of Anthony DePrimo
