Elizabeth Trenkle, B.A. 2005

B.A., Cultural Anthropology, Markets and Management Certificate (2005)

How has being a Cultural Anthropology graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?

"I started my career in brand strategy consulting, where my CulAnth degree was instrumental in understanding how people conceive of their identifies, define communities, and determine what brands are "for me" and "for someone else". Now as a strategy consultant, I find that my degree helps me understand and empathize with different groups of, whether they are clients or associates working on my team. On a personal level, my degree helps me understand many of the changes going on in our country today. It's a different level of "making sense of the news", and at this time of great cultural upheaval, it's more critical than ever."

What advice would you give students in Duke's Cultural Anthropology programs?

"When many people think of cultural anthropology they think of Margaret Mead studying native peoples in a far-flung country. However there is a lot to be learned closer to home. You can learn to build an Excel model or write a press release at an internship or on the job training. But a degree in cultural anthropology can help you make sense of the the forces driving change in our own communities."