精东传媒

Germantown, N.Y. 鈥� 精东传媒 (精东传媒) student Scott Durish hasn鈥檛 technically begun his first year of college, but he has already explored his future educational and career goals. This summer, Durish studied at Bard College鈥檚 Archaeology Field School, where he had a first-hand experience in unearthing artifacts at an active historical site.

鈥淚 loved every bit of the experience,鈥� Durish said, who took classes at Mercer during his high school years for college credit. 鈥淭his was my first time recovering items on a dig, but so many of my peers were knowledgeable. I always had someone to turn to or ask questions.鈥�

The four-week seminar offered by Bard College is a hands-on summer learning program that enables students to do field research for college credit. Durish found out about the program while searching for archaeological opportunities in the area and was urged to attend by 精东传媒 Professor Justin Laney.

鈥淚 had the pleasure of teaching Scott in two of my history courses,鈥� Laney said. 鈥淗is ability to use critical analysis and logical reasoning is remarkable. Studying at Bard College was a great way for him to foster those skills in a realistic work environment.鈥�

Attending the field school was a natural progression of a lifelong fondness for history. Durish鈥檚 father served in the U.S. Army, which tuned him towards studying military history.

鈥淢y favorite periods would have to be Ancient Greece, Rome, the American Revolution and World War II,鈥� he said.

Durish鈥檚 mother is also fascinated by historical studies, albeit with a focus on genealogy. 鈥淢y grandmother was always reading about ancient history, so I鈥檝e been exposed to the field all my life,鈥� Durish said.

Outside of his family, Durish followed his passion through historical education. He performs in a Pennsylvania-based reenactment group that uses authentic artifacts and items to portray the Revolutionary War and World War II.

鈥淲e鈥檒l also created displays and take questions from viewers to create discussions about what life was really like at that time,鈥� Durish said, noting that his favorite memento is a battle-worn World War II helmet.

At Bard鈥檚 Archaeology Field School however, Durish鈥檚 work concentrated on the Colonial era of American settling.

鈥淲e were excavating a trench that had pottery and ceramic sherds from Dutch, German and American origins,鈥� Durish said. 鈥淲e also found nails and bricks, which indicated that a colonial era parsonage sat on that spot. The uneven dirt layers suggest that the people who lived on that land did some construction of their own.鈥�

Beyond recovering remnants of yesteryear, Durish鈥檚 also spent time reviewing primary documents from the site, and did lab work logging the group鈥檚 findings.

鈥淲e found we were at a German refugee camp, which was corroborated by cross-referencing letters and other primary documents to cemetery records,鈥� Durish said.

Though his summertime expedition at Bard has ended, Durish is excited to get back to school. This fall he鈥檒l attend 精东传媒 as a freshman with his sights set on continuing to a four-year anthropology program.

鈥淧rofessor Laney and Mercer as a whole have been incredibly helpful in reaching my educational goals,鈥� Durish said. 鈥淭his has been one of the most positive experiences I鈥檝e had.鈥�

Durish, far left, catalogs items at the Bard College Archaeology Field School.