Major Harper Tooch '21 reflects on her experiences at Cornell.
What inspired you to choose ? Do you have a specific area of interest?
I was first inspired to major in anthropology when I have in fifth grade after learning about the excavation of Jamestown and watching Indiana Jones for the first time. I think I was so drawn to it because I could study aspects of history that intrigued me, but I could focus on people and the things they made rather than events. I also have always loved the physical artifacts that people made and why they made them. These have been questions I have been interested in since I could remember and would often ask them when I went to museums.
My specific area of interest lays in the intersection of anthropology, art history, and archaeology. This has led me to the field of heritage studies and the ways in which heritage is used in the creation of identity through art. I am currently interested in researching representations of identity in ancient societies, particularly, focusing on immigration and migration in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean and Near East concentrating predominantly on cross-cultural workshops and how these factors contribute to artistic representation within these regions. I am looking to see how these representations in the past have affected identity in the region today and how this is translated through art.
Was there a particular faculty member or class that influenced you the most?
The classes that influenced me the most were Global Heritage and Heritage Management. Professor Adam Smith and Postdoc Sabrina Papazian were two faculty members that have really inspired me and guided me into finding how I could incorporate all my interests into one field of study. However, there are countless other faculty that have to help me in my journey and have influenced and challenged me to think outside of the box.
What accomplishments/activities are you most proud of while at Cornell?
I am most proud of having the opportunity to excavate in Israel in 2019 as well as work with the Smithsonian last summer. These two opportunities were life-changing and allowed me to gain a more vivid understanding of the discipline as well as connected me to like-minded thinkers that have become part of my community.
What’s next?
I am hoping to complete my master's in Art History with a concentration in Cultural Heritage. After that, I am hoping to get my Ph.D. in anthropology and possibly teach. I am hoping to continue my anthropology journey and be able to teach others what professors at Cornell have taught me.
Do you have any advice for students new to ?
My advice for students new to is to try it out! If there is a class that seems interesting to you, you should try it because there will be new things that you might not have had an opportunity in other classes to learn about. courses can open your mind up to new things and allows you to think more critically about your surroundings, something that I think is invaluable.
