Departmental News

Posted:  May 10, 2021 - 01:00pm

The 2021 Cheryl L. Wase Scholarship winners are Nadia Gilpin, Tiffany Neas, Jacquelyn Truitt, and incoming freshman Autumn Mysercough, and Kayla Abeyta Lopez and Samantha Morley have received renewal awards.  The Cheryl L. Wase Memorial Scholarship for the Study of Archaeology provides funding for undergraduate education in archaeology. It is awarded to women who are residents of New Mexico and pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology with a specialization in archaeology from a fully accredited university in the state of New Mexico (Eastern New Mexico University, New Mexico State University, or University of New Mexico).

Archaeologist Cheryl L. Wase spent most of her career working in the high deserts of New Mexico. She died at the too young age of 53 in 2004. When her mother, Jane Francy Wase, passed away in 2013, she left a bequest to the SAA to endow a memorial scholarship in her daughter's name. This generous memorial bequest brings together three major themes that defined Cheryl Wase's life: her dedication to archaeology, her love for New Mexico, and her constant willingness to help and support other women.

The Wase Scholarships cover the cost of tuition/course fees and books for all classroom and field based courses included in an accredited curriculum to earn a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology with a Emphasis/Focus/Concentration in Archaeology. A specialization in archaeology determined to be an Emphasis in Archaeology (ENMU students), a focus on Archaeology (NMSU students) or a Concentration in Archaeology (UNM students). The scholarship is renewable for up to five years, as long as the recipient remains enrolled, maintains a 3.0 grade point average, and continues to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology with a specialization in Archaeology. Amount awarded is variable as is the number of scholarships available each year. Read more