Washington College
Washington College, the first college established in the new nation (1782), is a small liberal arts college on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The College has received increasing national attention for its growth in academic excellence and its use of regional resources to support academic programs. An undergraduate major in anthropology was approved in 1999 with an emphasis on archaeological research and training. In the same year, the College established a Center for Environment and Society to focus on the interdependence of cultures and the environment of the Eastern Shore over time. Archaeology at the College works closely with the Center for Environment & Society in environmental archaeology and underwater archaeology. The latter effort includes development of protocols for collecting both cultural and natural resource data in a single marine survey. African American archaeology projects such as the search for the Harriet Tubman birthplace have provided collaborative efforts between Anthropology and other departments. Archaeology also collaborates with another Center of Excellence on campus, the C.V. Starr Center for the American Experience, in public programming. These synergies have been enhanced by locating the Public Archaeology Laboratory and the two centers in the newly renovated Custom House on Chestertown's waterfront. Washington College also has worked closely with the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Historical Trust in developing a GIS-based predictive model for archaeological site locations across the five counties of the Upper Eastern Shore.
Proposed Programs: Under IMPART, the College plans to further strengthen its undergraduate offerings in Anthropology and to develop new capabilities in marine archaeology. Over the longer term, the College may develop an interdisciplinary M.A. program in environmental and cultural resource management. Students pursuing careers in environmental services or cultural resource management job markets gain a distinct competitive advantage through such a cross-training approach. Plans call for adding faculty to operate the program, provide expanded archaeology expertise and provide adjunct positions to service the curriculum needs. Faculty positions will be funded on a 50% state and 50% college cost share basis since Washington College is not part of the state university system.
Investments Toward IMPART: Ten years ago Washington College only taught one course on an occasional basis in historic preservation and no courses in archaeology. With support from the Maryland Historical Trust, ten courses in historic preservation and archaeology are now offered, a major in Anthropology has been established, and the program is growing rapidly (currently with 42 majors and reaching more than 200 students per semester at a campus of 1200). Archaeology at the College has been successfully linked to the Center for Environment and Society, allowing undergraduate and graduate training in skills critical to success in heritage and eco-tourism, CRM and other fields that utilize the talents of archaeologists. As part of the Center for Environment & Society (CES), a fully equipped Public Archaeology Laboratory operates out of the historic Custom House (ca. 1745), with capabilities in both terrestrial and marine archaeology. A full-service Geographic Information Systems Laboratory has been established, also under CES. Faculty, staff and students at the College prepared a Heritage Tourism Management Plan for the four upper counties on the Eastern Shore, activating the link between heritage disciplines and heritage tourism.
