The 2007 Colorado Archaeological Society Alice Hamilton Scholarship Award Committee awarded a record $4,650 this spring to a field of fourteen finalists consisting of five undergraduates, seven Masters and two PhD candidates.

The Scholarship requirement is that students be enrolled (at least half-time load) at a Colorado institution of higher education in archaeology or related field.  Awards are made on the quality of the application and worthiness of the project as it pertains to the enrichment of the field of archaeology (emphasis on Colorado archaeology).

The Scholarship fund monies are generated by donation and through fund-raising activities at the State and local Chapter levels.  $750 is the maximum award allowed to any one student.

All of this year’s applicants were well qualified and were strongly supported with Letters of Recommendation from the cream of the crop of Colorado’s archaeological educator/researchers.  Students were from eight separate institutions across the state, and requests involved research from Paleo through Historic periods.

MICHELLE WRETLING, Undergrad, University of Colorado, Denver    $200

For Field School expenses:  Tanzania, Africa paleo dig

* MICAH EMERSON, Undergrad, Metro State, Denver                  $300

For Fieldwork expenses:  Anton Trench, E. Colorado & Kansas border paleo sites

BRIGID GRUND, Undergrad, University of Colorado, Boulder           $300

For Field School expenses:  Lake City, CO paleo site

* BRIDGET HOLLINGSWORTH, Undergrad, Univ. of Colo, Co. Spgs $300

For Field School expenses:  Picketwire Grasslands historic site

BREANN SPEICHER, Undergrad, Mesa State, Grand Junction           $350

For Field School Instructor expenses:  Fort Garland historic site

JESSICA HEDGEPETH, Masters, University of Colorado, Boulder       $200

For thesis research field expenses:  Study of Oaxacan ceramics as they reflect socio-political-

economic shifts during Classic-to-PostClassic transition period

* ROBIN ROBERTS, Masters, Colorado State University, Fort Collins     $200

For thesis research travel expenses: Study of Pawnee National Grasslands historic

homestead settlement patterns

COURTNEY HURST, Masters, Colorado State University, Fort Collins   $250

For thesis research travel expenses:  GIS spacial analysis of 310 sites in Larimer County, reflecting type, distribution and six environmental variables

* CHRISSINA BURKE, Masters, Colorado State University, Fort Collins $250

For thesis research equipment expenses:  Carnivore attrition analysis at Kaplan-Hoover bison bonebed, Windsor, CO.

KATHRYN PUTSAVAGE, Masters, University of Colorado, Boulder     $350

For thesis research field school expenses:  At Mimbres Roadmap site and others in NM.  To support comparative ceramic analysis of Mesa Verde b/w ceramics

CHRIS VON WEDELL, Masters, Colorado State University, Fort Collins $450

For thesis research lab equipment:  Glass trade bead analysis & chronology for the S. Platte River Basin historic sites, NE Colorado.  * Past presenter at CAS Annual and Chapter meetings

ALLISON REXROTH, Masters, University of Denver                  $500

For thesis research AMS dating expense:  Continuation of comparative analysis of perishable materials collections from Trinchera Cave (CO), Kenton Cave (KS) and Franktown Cave (CO) data collection.

CHRISTINE DIXON, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder            $500

For dissertation research expenses:  Hiring workers to run ground penetrating radar on Cerén, El Salvador corn fields to study how Mayan subsistence supported densely occupied Classic settlements

BRENDA TODD, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder               $500

For dissertation research travel expenses to Cahokia:  Analysis of comparable collections at urban Cahokia (IL) and contemporaneous urban Chaco (NM) and then with non-urban settlements (such as Yellow Jacket, CO)

A heartfelt thank-you is extended to all students who applied.  The decisions were indeed difficult.  Students are encouraged to apply again next year.

One of the additional requirements and benefits of this scholarship fund to both applicants and C.A.S. members is that C.A.S. requests that students submit a short written summary on how the monies were used, and encouraged to present their research findings (or progress report) at the C.A.S. annual meeting (or perhaps at a local Chapter monthly meeting).  Completed papers may also be submitted for publication in C.A.S.’ respected quarterly journal, Southwestern Lore.

            C.A.S. members who are interested in reading applications may contact the Committee via email, phone or mail.  This report is being sent to all winners, their references, C.A.S. Chapters and to various Colorado public and educational entities as a press release.

May 2007