THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA JULY 16, 1999

CONVOCATION JUNE 1999

"I'm no Indiana Jones," says top social sciences grad

After graduating from Mt. Doug Secondary's French immersion program, it seemed only natural for Cynthia Lake to earn a degree in French language and literature at UVic. But it wasn't until she began a second degree in anthropology a year later that she found her true calling. Lake's 8.71 graduating GPA won her this year's Jubilee Medal for social sciences and she begins studying for her master's in anthropology this fall. "I did the first degree because my parents expected it. The second degree was for me," says Lake, who is spending the summer working for her grad supervisor, Dr. Quentin Mackie, analysing material gathered during past field school sessions near Craigflower School. She credits Mackie and lab instructor Becky Wigen with sparking her interest in anthropology. "Both were really great. They taught me that there's still lots to be done in this area." After taking a year off between degrees to work at several jobs, including being a veterinarian's assistant, Lake says she knew within the first month of anthropology classes that she'd found the right academic fit. She volunteered in the department's lithics (rock) lab and spent two months working with Wigen in the bone lab. Last summer, Lake participated in a field school with members of the Scowlitz band near Harrison Hot Springs. "I'm really interested in the history of the people from this land. I love this area so much. It intrigues me to learn about what happened here in the past." Lake admits she's "no Indiana Jones" and would like to pursue a teaching career in anthropology. "A PhD wouldn't surprise me, but that's too far in the future to predict."

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