Jason Stokes

2009 Student Awards and Scholarships

Cynthia Lakin Award

The Cynthia Lakin Award is given to graduating seniors who have majored in anthropology. The primary purpose of the award is to recognize the recipient's sustained contribution to anthropology at Arizona State University.

"My overall experience in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change has been amazing. I chose to come to ASU because it was the only university that would allow me to study with great faculty, participate in research as an undergraduate, meet students with similar interests from all parts of the country and remain close enough to home to see my family at any time."

                                                                                                                                                               — Jason Stokes

Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, Jason spent a lot of time watching Channel 8 (the local PBS station). As a six-year-old, he got hooked on the station's archaeology and history specials. His parents furthered his love of antiquities and ancient wonders by taking him to the local library, where he checked out books on the pyramids; Egyptian archaeology; and Greek and Roman mythology. He says that, "in middle school, I learned that someone could actually get paid to discover and talk about these things in the Mediterranean I was always reading about, so I decided to become an anthropologist."

At Arizona State University, Jason chose two majors: anthropology and classical studies. His anthropological focus is the evolution and history of diseases and also the historical perceptions of disease. In classical studies, he is interested in Greek and Roman religion, specifically rituals and cults related to health and healing.

For the past two years, Jason has served as the president of the Undergraduate Anthropology Association. He has also acted as a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Ambassador. He has taught ASU 101 courses, began the Anthropology Peer Mentor Program and volunteers as an accounting assistant at ASU's Deer Valley Rock Art Center.

Following graduation, Jason will be teaching Latin at Mesa Preparatory Academy. Graduate school is in his future. His long-term goal is to become a college professor.

Special thanks to:

Alissa Ruth and Thomas Hudak, who taught one of Jason's favorite classes (Principles of Linguistics), helped him set up the peer mentor program and served as faculty advisor for the program. Jason says that "Alissa and Dr. Hudak are responsible for a great deal of my success, and I'm extremely grateful that SHESC is stocked with faculty and staff like them."