Students in the Spotlight: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Ansley Cahill

Graduating Year: 2024

Education: Anthropology major, Ancient Civilization minor, Biology minor, History minor, Interdisciplinary Honors minor

Ansley is a very active student scholar. She is currently (summer 2023) conducting a summer research on the development of social relationships in wild olive baboons at the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project in Laikipia, Kenya under the mentorship of Dr. Monica Wakefield. Her research was funded by Collaborative Faculty-Student Project Award by NKU College of Arts and Sciences (awarded to Dr. Monica Wakefield with Ansley Cahill as named student); and Swarts-Milburn Undergraduate Research Fellowship, NKU College of Arts and Sciences (Awarded to Ansley Cahill).

Ansley is a recipient of Founders Merit-Based Scholarship. In April 2023, Ansley presented an original research at the Committee on Diversity Undergraduate Research Symposium at the American Association of Biological Anthropologists Annual Meeting, Reno, NV. Ansley’s academic performance is outstanding. She currently has a GPA of 3.9, and she has consistently been on the Dean’s and the President’s Honor’s lists since 2020. She is a very active community member.

She is a member of the Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honors Society as well as the Baboon Lab Group (Fall 2022 – present). She also serves as a University Housing Residential Assistant (Fall 2022 – present). She has also served as Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for ANT 202 Biological Anthropology (Fall 2021 & Spring 2022). Ansley is the current Vice-President of the SAPiens Student Society.

In her future plans, Ansley would like to continue working with Dr. Wakefield and the Baboon Lab Group to analyze the data she collects this summer to present at multiple conferences over the academic year. After graduation in Spring 2024, Ansley plans to pursue graduate studies in Biological or Archaeological Anthropology.

Brexton Cromer

Graduating Year: Senior student

Education: Philosophy major; Religious Studies minor; Ancient Civilizations minor

"I'm proudly from a small town in Eastern KY and graduated from high school in 2020. I came to NKU as a STEM major but quickly transferred to philosophy, with minors in religious studies and ancient civilizations. I hope to become a professor, teaching about communitarianism, animism, and eco-philosophy. I chose religious studies because it brought together topics from multiple disciplines. The religious studies program and the interdisciplinary approach it fosters has helped me to develop spiritually and academically. Religious studies isn't just about memorizing facts and regurgitating them; it's about tussling with the difficult, uneasy, and hard to understand parts of existence from all academic perspectives, and that's a deeply fulfilling experience for anyone."

Diana Hickerson

Graduating Year: 2024

Education: Psychology Major; Sociology Minor

"Minoring in Sociology has given me a chance to better understand people and systems, such as knowing why things may operate in one community the way they do. Sociology has driven me to try to find ways to improve areas of need in the little community that I come from so that more people may live as equal of lives as possible, with opportunities available to everyone and not just those who already have the means to access them. I owe the majority of my ideas for my future career plans to my decision to pursue a minor in sociology and to the amazing professors who have made this field such a beautiful thing to me.”"

Diana Hickerson is a senior completing a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. With a passion to always continue learning, having the opportunity to complete her degree online allows her to pursue that goal while also doing other meaningful things in her life. Outside of school, she works at the local Senior Center, where she enjoys having the chance to make a difference in the lives of the senior citizens in her community.

Hunter Meister

Graduating Year: Senior

Education: English major (Creative Writing track); Philosophy minor 

Hunter Meister is an English major on the Creative Writing track with a minor in Philosophy. She is a transfer student from Ivy Tech Community College where she received an A.G.S., she is now pursuing a BA. Once she graduates she intends to further her education by going to grad school for an MFA. She also intends to pursue a writing career. Hunter says that “the NKU Philosophy Department has helped her to expand her horizons on topics ranging from death to how we as humans treat and mistreat the world that we live in.” 

Siriruay "Ploy" Methakitwarun

Graduating Year: 2020

Education: Sociology Major; Minor in International Studies and Social Justice Studies.

Career: PhD. Student in Sociology

Ploy is currently pursuing a PhD. degree in Sociology at Florida State University, with a focus on immigration adaptation and social demography. After finishing her B.S. Sociology degree at NKU, Ploy went on to complete a Masters’ degree in Sociology degree at Florida State University, with the Thesis: “Immigrant generation, home leaving, and parent-child relationships.” She has served as the Listserv coordinator for the Population section of the American Sociological Association (2021-2023).

Ploy wowed everyone with her original research throughout her undergraduate years at NKU. She presented at both regional and state conferences. Her paper, “Leaving the Nest: Does Parental Closeness Matter to Immigrant Generations,” was awarded 1st place in the undergraduate division of the 2020 Jules Delambre Student Paper Contest sponsored by the Anthropologists & Sociologists of Kentucky. Ploy was a member of Alpha Kappa Delta, the Sociology Honor society and served as the Sociology Club’s president for two years. Beyond earning the department’s Outstanding Graduating Senior in Sociology award, Ploy also earned the Southern Demographic Association’s Outstanding Student Paper Award. She also spent the summer of 2019 participating in the Research Experience for Undergraduates [REU] in Race, Ethnicity and Family Demography at the Population Research Center of the University of Texas at Austin.

Allison Parrot

Graduating Year: 2020

Education: Anthroplogy Major

Career: Graduate Student

"Everything I experienced within the last 4 years has changed my life completely and I could not have done it without the anthropology staff at NKU. I cannot even begin to thank everyone for the support and push you have given me to succeed!"

Allison is a Graduate Student at Goucher College, with a focus on cultural sustainability. She previously worked at the Ojibwe cultural museum on the Mille Lacs Reservation. Her position allowed her to attend community ceremonies and learn historical Native American skills. She has also worked at the George Ranch Historical Park in Richmond (in Texas) as the site supervisor of two historical homes at this living history museum. She has also worked in museums in many different departments in Ohio and Minnesota. Her anthropology degree helped her to develop skills and experiences in program design, visitor/membership services, historic interpretation, historic home preservation and management.

Paul Pfeiffer

Graduating Year: Sophomore student

Education: Organizational Leadership Major; Anthropology Minor

"My name is Paul Pfeiffer, and I am an adult student here at NKU. Most of my life has been spent around the Cincinnati area. My major is organizational leadership and I have found that the anthropology minor has been an interesting addition to my major. I especially enjoyed classes such as cultural and linguistic anthropology. These classes explored how different cultures understand and see the world. I recommend anthropology classes for anyone who is interested in learning more about other cultures and how they are both similar and different to our own."

Kennedy Pugh

Graduating Year: 2013

Education: B.S. in Radiation Therapy; Healthcare Ethics and Policy Minor

Career: Radiation therapy

"I am pursing a bachelor's degree in radiation therapy and a minor in Healthcare ethics and policy. I think anyone going into the Healthcare field would benefit from a minor in this field because you will always be presented with different issues concerning ethics. This program helps you learn to navigate your future career and will allow you to overcome any challenges you may face concerning ethical dilemmas while alps providing a safe space to learn and grow. I have only grown from these courses and I know they have shaped me into a better Healthcare professional. "

Brendan Sullivan

Graduating Year: 2017

Education: Philosophy Major; Criminal Justice Major

Career: JD, Law, 2021 from Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law. Class of 2021 valedictorian; Editor-in-Chief, Northern Kentucky Law Review (2020-2021).

“I am truly thankful to every Philosophy professor I ever took at NKU because learning the nuance behind philosophical thoughts and theories truly prepared me to understand the law, as well as invigorated me with a desire to seek out difficult academic challenges and take them on.”

Currently employed as Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio.