By Michelle Hines, University Relations
Contact: (336) 334-5371
Posted 2-20-07
Dr. Cathy Small
GREENSBORO, NC – Her students know her as Dr. Cathy Small.
But to her classmates, she was Rebekah Nathan, college newbie.
Small, an anthropology professor at Northern Arizona University, went undercover as a freshman. She will visit UNCG Thursday, March 22, to talk about “My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student,” her anthropological account of student culture.
“My Freshman Year” originated in 2002 when she decided to enroll as a freshman and walk in the shoes of her own students. She lived as an undergraduate and enrolled in classes for a year.
Small’s presentation will run from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Science Building, Room 201, and is free and open to the public. Her appearance, sponsored by the Freshman Seminar Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, is part of the College’s third annual “Talking About Teaching” seminar.
She is the recipient of the national Praxis Award for Excellence in Applied Anthropology and the national Points of Light award for co-founding the NAU Pipeline mentoring and college scholarship program for low-income youth. Her program received the Governor's Special Recognition award as well as honors for the Best Educational Practice in Post-Secondary Education in the state of Arizona.
As an anthropologist, Small is an expert on the South Pacific and Tongan culture. Her book “Voyages,” about immigration, is used by more than 100 universities, and for 25 years, her research and writing have focused on immigrants and transnational issues. For more information on Small’s visit, contact Dr. Robert Hansen, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, at (336) 334-5481 or rchansen@uncg.edu.
