The Michigan State University Campus Archaeology Program (CAP) provides a wide array of opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Whether you are looking to get your hands dirty digging in the dirt or you want to help share some spooky archaeologically-inspired stories during CAP’s annual Apparitions and Archaeology event in October, CAP provides unique and innovative ways for both anthropology and non-anthropology students to learn about the past. CAP provides hands-on training and real-world experience in archaeological excavation, historical research, public outreach, and artifact identification and analysis.
Every other summer CAP runs an archaeological field school where students can obtain credit for helping to excavate and study a piece of MSU’s history. This past summer 15 field school students excavated an area of land next to Holmes Hall that once housed a homestead that dates to the late 1800s and early 1900s. The property was purchased by the Michigan State Board of Agriculture in 1953. Some of the students involved on this project are working as interns for the CAP lab. There, they are working to catalog and analyze artifacts from the field project as well as collaborating on research presentations and posters to share with our campus community.
If you’d like an opportunity to be involved with CAP, contact Dr. Stacey Camp, Director of the MSU Campus Archaeology Program. Her email is campstac@msu.edu.