I have experience excavating Florida archaeological sites affiliated with the University of North Florida. I took two semesters of Archaeological Field Methods, a six-week course of hands-on excavation of a Timucua village site. I also volunteered for UNF’s second excavation project, typically during weekends across three to four weeks a year due to time constraints for site access. I volunteered for this second project for four years and had an amazing experience excavating an Indigenous, Mississippian-era ceremonial site.

My excavation experiences have taught me several skills, including maintaining a detailed field notebook, mapping, feature excavation, using a Stadio rod and total station, shovel test digging, photography, completing field forms, organizing artifacts, and wall and feature mapping. I believe interacting with new students and helping them understand excavation skills enhanced my understanding of these methods. Overall, these hands-on experiences have been invaluable in honing my archaeological techniques and preparing me for future fieldwork.