Student Ambassador Spotlights: Anthropology, Criminology and Sociology

Meet several members of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology Student Ambassadors, a team of 19 undergraduate student volunteers who help with student activities, new student recruitment, department communications, student involvement, and student mentorship.

This is our inaugural class of student ambassadors, and we are excited to share their stories with you! Keep an eye out for upcoming profiles of our ambassadors in future editions of the undergraduate newsletter. You can also student profiles on the Department of Sociology and Anthropology Facebook Page. 

Anthropology

Samantha Aiken

Hello! My name is Samantha Aiken, but most people call me Sammi! I’m a junior majoring in anthropology and microbiology with minors in forensic science and global health.

I’m from the small town of Stedman, North Carolina, which is located near Fayetteville. Some of my hobbies include archery, watching The Great British Baking Show, and learning Polish.

Some fun facts about me are that my favorite animal is the Virginia opossum, and I was able to spend the fall semester of 2019 in Poznań, Poland!

I initially came to NC State planning to study biology, but as I learned more about myself and my interests during my first semester, I found that that course of study was not the right fit for me. It was during this time that I thought back to my childhood interests in archaeology and infectious disease — and realized that NC State offered majors that aligned with both of those interests. Because of this, I was able to get connected with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

I initially thought that I would only minor in anthropology, but after taking a Cultural Anthropology course, I was hooked and knew I had to pursue it as a second major. I plan to combine my microbiological and anthropological interests to pursue a graduate degree in the field of public health.

Through my time as an anthropology student, I have had the pleasure of becoming a student ambassador, which has given me the opportunity to connect with students and faculty on a more personal level. Helping to organize events, volunteering at orientations, and reaching out to new students in the department has been so amazing and has helped me build an amazing community. Deciding to become a part of this department has been one of the best choices that I’ve made in my undergraduate years, and I feel so lucky to be surrounded by the support of the students and faculty. 

Criminology

Chloe Boswell

Hey everyone! My name is Chloe Boswell, and I am a sophomore double-majoring in political science and criminology.

I’m an out of state student, meaning I did not know a single soul when I stepped foot on campus last fall. I am from Chesapeake (or Virginia Beach), Virgina. You’re probably wondering why I chose to come to North Carolina. My dad and his whole side of the family graduated from NC State, and whenever we would visit them, they would love to walk around campus and Hillsborough street to reminisce on their time in college.

I decided at a very young age I would NOT be attending this college because of the strong influence of my family; however, I reluctantly decided to tour it during spring break of my senior year of high school and fell in love with everything about it, the city, the people, the campus.

As a current sophomore, I now have the pleasure of working with this amazing ambassador program, the Criminology Club, College Republicans, and Greek Life, while serving on the council of my sorority.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology has been such a welcoming and motivating community of fellow students and NC State faculty and staff. Every criminology and sociology class I have been enrolled in, even in the time of COVID, has been interesting, informative and has the perfect amount of difficulty to keep students on our toes.

The professors and advisors, specifically the lovely Stephanie Jares, are beyond helpful and encouraging to every student. Being part of the ambassador program has been an amazing opportunity to support fellow and incoming peers, as well as to build communication and team-building skills. Feel free to reach out to me or any of the other ambassadors if you have questions about the program, our department, or NC State. GO PACK!

Sociology

Yuanyuan Li

Hey everyone! My name is Yuanyuan Li, and I’m a sophomore majoring in sociology.

“Yuan” is the pronunciation of a Chinese character which means nice and beautiful, and it’s homophonic with another character meaning perfect. I would like to give everyone the best wish just like what my name means.

It can be seen from my name that I’m an international student from China, and I’m a spring student so it has been almost two years since I came here. To be honest, it’s pretty overwhelming at the beginning when studying abroad in a definitely new environment and using another language, but NC State really provides me with a lot of help.

I still remember how many times I went to the writing center asking for help with my paper in the first semester and the focus groups held by OIS to know about the life of international students.

The process of getting involved is amazing, and I meet all kinds of people, experience all kinds of new things. I helped the Study Abroad Office with their Pre-Departure Conference to share experiences for students who signed for the study abroad program. I had a chance to work as a college mentor for kids teaching them how to use chopsticks. And I also volunteered in the Zero Waste Wolfpack program to help with tailgate recycling before a football game. Being a student ambassador in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology is a great chance that especially came at the time when I was confused about what I should do besides studying. I got encouragement in the emails and the first meeting with Stephanie and became more and more comfortable about sharing my experiences, to host games and events, and most importantly to express myself without fears in a second language. Thanks to all the people I met and everything I experienced here in NC State that makes it the second home for me. GO PACK!