Heather McKee ’24 wins Student Paper Award at archaeological conference

Heather McKee ’24 was selected for the Student Paper Award at the Eastern States Archaeological Federation Annual Meeting, which was held Oct. 26-29 in Ocean City, Maryland. The regional conference brings together more than 150 professionals from the Northeast and beyond.

McKee, a double major in sociology/anthropology and cultural and historic preservation (CHP) with a focus in archaeology, presented the preliminary results of her thesis project: “A Spatial Analysis of an Archaic Occupation in Northern Maine.”

“This was my first experience attending and presenting at a professional conference, and I had a great experience,” said McKee, who plans to pursue a job in cultural resource management with the federal government after her graduation. “I enjoyed connecting with others in the fields of preservation and archaeology, as well as learning more about research currently being done in these fields. I feel that this experience gave me an introduction into the professional world of archaeology.”

Papers at the conference were judged by a panel of archaeological scholars from universities across the eastern United States and Canadian Provinces. In being selected for the Student Paper Award, McKee has also been invited to publish her work in a journal entitled Archaeology of Eastern North America.

Heather McKee is a double major in sociology/anthropology and cultural and historic preservation with a focus in archaeology. 

McKee, who serves as the vice president of Salve’s Cultural and Historic Preservation Club, interned for two summers with The Lost Towns Project, the non-profit dedicated to the discovery of the Mid-Atlantic’s cultural heritage. The organization works in partnership with Anne Arundel County, the Anne Arundel County Trust for Preservation and various other history and heritage organizations in the region.

A member of Salve’s cross country and track and field teams, McKee is involved in several honor societies and programs at the University, including the Pell Honors Program, Sigma Phi Sigma, Delta Epsilon Sigma and Chi Alpha Sigma.

She also works on campus at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel as the intern for Liturgical Ministries, where she helps prepare for Sunday mass, organize student ministers and plan engaging events for the students involved at the chapel.

McKee is a 2020 graduate of Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland.

In addition to McKee, Natalie Bryant ’24 presented on her thesis research examining the behavioral patterns of a prehistoric workshop associated with the Munsungun quarries project. Other Salve students attending the ESAF conference were Amanda Lannon ’27, Michael Becker ’27, and Kathryn Cole ’27.

Featured photo caption: Representing Salve’s Cultural and Historic Preservation program at the Eastern States Archaeological Federation Annual Meeting are (from left) Dr. Heather Rockwell, assistant professor; Heather McKee and Natalie Bryant, both Salve seniors; and Dr. Nathaniel Kitchel, assistant professor.