My name is Melanie Kreutz, and I am going into my senior year at Purdue University, where I study anthropology with a focus on archaeology. As I began looking toward graduation, I found myself asking an important question: what does a career in archaeology actually look like outside of the classroom? While I had previous archaeological field school experience, I wanted to learn what it was like to work as a professional archaeologist and gain a better understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities of a career in cultural resource management. My internship at CEC gave me exactly that opportunity!
My Interview Process
I originally learned about CEC through a classmate who had interned there the previous summer. She gave a presentation about her experience in one of my archaeology classes, and I remember writing down the company’s name because it sounded exactly like the kind of opportunity I was hoping to find. When it came time to apply for summer internships, CEC was at the top of my list.
After submitting my application, I was contacted by CEC’s University Relations Recruiter, Natalie Wrazen, and we had a phone interview to discuss my background, interests, and whether I would be a good fit for the company. Shortly afterward, I had a virtual interview with CEC Indianapolis Cultural Resources Project Managers Colleen Westmor and Jim Snyder. Everyone I spoke with was welcoming and genuinely interested in getting to know me, which made the interview process feel much more like a conversation than an interview.
By the end of that conversation, it was strongly implied that I would be joining the team, so the wait for the official offer letter felt much longer than it probably was. When it finally arrived, I was thrilled. It was exciting to know that I would have the chance to spend my summer learning about a side of archaeology that I had only briefly been exposed to in my coursework.
What I Learned
Although I had participated in archaeological field schools before, I did not know what to expect from working in cultural resource management. I was glad that I learned far more than I ever anticipated over the course of the summer.
As a Cultural Resource Field Technician Intern, I had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects that allowed me to experience nearly every stage of the archaeological process. Before heading into the field, I conducted background research to identify previously recorded archaeological sites and reviewed historical information that helped guide our surveys. Once in the field, I learned the methods archaeologists use to identify and document archaeological resources while working alongside experienced professionals.
My experience extended well beyond fieldwork. I also received lab training that introduced me to how artifacts are cleaned, processed, cataloged, and prepared after they are recovered. I also had the unique opportunity to spend a week conducting archival research, searching through historical records and documents to gather information about previously identified archaeological sites. This was an experience I never expected to have during my internship, and it gave me an entirely new appreciation for the amount of historical research that supports archaeological investigations.
One of the biggest lessons I took away from my internship was realizing that archaeology is about much more than excavation. Before this internship, I had primarily associated archaeology with fieldwork. At CEC, I learned just how much preparation, research, and technical writing take place before anyone ever steps into the field and long after the fieldwork has been completed. Seeing the entire process from beginning to end gave me a much deeper appreciation for the work that goes into every project and helped me better understand what a career in cultural resource management truly involves.
Favorite Moments
While I learned an incredible amount professionally, one of the things I enjoyed most about my internship was the people. From my first day, everyone made me feel welcome and treated me as a valued member of the team. Whether I had a question in the field or needed help understanding a new task, someone was always willing to take the time to explain it and help me learn.
Some of my favorite memories from the summer were the team dinners after long days of fieldwork. After spending the day working together, it was nice to relax, share stories, and get to know everyone outside of work. Those conversations made the experience even more enjoyable and showed me how much the people at CEC genuinely value teamwork and supporting one another.
My internship has given me a clearer understanding of what a career in archaeology can look like, boosted my confidence as a budding archaeologist, and confirmed that cultural resource management is a field I am interested in exploring further. I am incredibly grateful for everything I learned this summer and for everyone at CEC who made it such a rewarding experience!
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