Erick Cuevas had spent days searching the hillsides of Southwest Colorado for evidence of the people who lived there centuries before him. Some of his classmates seemed to spot artifacts everywhere they looked. For Cuevas, the discoveries weren’t coming quite as easily.
Then, while surveying an area of the San Juan National Forest, he spotted a piece of pottery.
“I was looking at it. I was like, ‘No way,’” Cuevas recalled.
That small discovery led to something much bigger. As Cuevas and his classmates examined the surrounding area, they identified additional ceramics, stone tools, and evidence of past human activity at a site they came to call the “Milling Site”.
The discovery not just an exciting moment in the field for the FLC senior anthropology major. It was an opportunity to put his education into practice, contribute to real archaeological research, and develop skills he could carry into a career.
Those opportunities are at the heart of Fort Lewis College’s Southwest Archaeology and Curation Field School, where students spent four weeks this summer working alongside faculty and professional partners to study and preserve the cultural history of the Four Corners.
Led by Mario Borrero, assistant professor of anthropology, the program brought together eight students and one teaching assistant for an immersive experience in archaeological surveys, digital documentation, collections management, and cultural stewardship.
Turning classroom learning into career skills
Working in partnership with the San Juan National Forest, students surveyed approximately 80 acres of public land over two weeks. The team frequently paused its survey to document archaeological materials and features they encountered, gaining firsthand experience in the careful, detailed work required to record and preserve cultural resources.
The work required more than recognizing artifacts. Students learned to use geographic information systems, GPS mapping, digital documentation, and archaeological survey methods to collect and analyze information that can support future research and site preservation.
They also worked with the Center of Southwest Studies to catalog and rehouse archaeological collections excavated by previous FLC field schools, gaining experience in the detailed work of preserving cultural materials for future generations.
After taking a year away from college, Cuevas returned to FLC eager to explore archaeology as a potential career. The field school helped him see how the skills he was learning could translate into professional work.
“It’s exactly the stuff I wanna be doing,” he said, recalling his excitement about the archaeological and GIS components of the program.
The learning didn’t stop when the four-week course ended.
Cuevas is now completing an internship focused on cataloging archaeological ceramics, with plans to build on that work through his senior research.
Through Borrero’s digital methods coursework, he’s also continuing to develop skills in technologies that have applications well beyond archaeology.
“A lot of stuff that he does and teaches us can help us get real jobs, like as soon as we graduate,” Cuevas said.
Faculty mentorship shapes student success
Emily Berger’s experience at FLC has been shaped by the relationships she’s built with faculty and the opportunities to apply her education in professional settings.
Originally from New Jersey, Berger studied anthropology with a focus on forensics and bioarchaeology. She was drawn to FLC’s small classes, close relationships with professors, and the opportunity to study in a region rich in cultural history.
“You got good, like, one-on-one time with professors,” she said. “You didn’t feel like just a number in a large crowd.”
That personal connection became an important part of her education.
Working alongside anthropology professor Dawn Mulhern, PhD., Berger has participated in forensic anthropology casework, gaining firsthand experience applying her academic training to real investigations.
Those experiences have allowed her to develop technical skills, work alongside professionals, and explore a career path that brings together her interests in anthropology, human anatomy, and forensic science.
“Those opportunities with Mulhern, I feel like changed my life,” Berger said.
The field school offered another opportunity to build on that foundation, bringing together her academic interests and the practical responsibilities of archaeological research.
One of the most meaningful lessons was understanding how much archaeologists can learn without disturbing the places they study.
“Digging in itself is inherently destructive,” Berger explained. “That doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily wrong. It just means there’s more of a time and a place for it.”
Students learned to document artifacts where they were found, record archaeological features, and assess how erosion and human activity might affect sites.
“Really the goal of all of this, it’s not just to gain more knowledge, but it’s to protect these sites because they’re non-renewable resources,” she said.
A classroom without walls
The Four Corners provided a remarkable setting for the field school.
Students visited archaeological and cultural sites throughout the region, including Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and Salmon Ruins, connecting what they had studied in the classroom with the landscapes and histories around them.
Although Cuevas has lived in Southwest Colorado for seven years, the experience gave him a new appreciation for a place he thought he already knew.
“I really got to know my area and how cool this area really is,” he said.
The field school also introduced students to the collaborative nature of professional archaeology.
They worked alongside classmates with different academic backgrounds, community volunteers, and agency partners, learning to share observations, solve problems, and approach research from multiple perspectives.
“It was really interesting seeing all these different perspectives come together,” Cuevas said.
Those experiences are an important part of Borrero’s approach to preparing students for what comes after college.
At FLC, small classes and close faculty relationships make it possible for students to participate directly in research, develop technical skills, and contribute to projects with real-world applications.
The field school also introduced digital technologies, including 3D documentation and mapping, that students can continue exploring through Borrero’s coursework and the College’s developing digital humanities lab.
From fieldwork to future careers
While the field school lasted just four weeks, its impact continues.
Students are building on their summer research through internships and senior projects, applying their new skills while contributing to the preservation of the region’s cultural history.
The experience reinforced Berger’s belief in the importance of collaboration, ethical research, and respect for the communities whose histories archaeologists study.
“Less taking and more preservation,” she said.
For Cuevas, it helped connect his academic interests with a clearer professional direction and a renewed commitment to finishing his degree.
What began with a piece of pottery on a hillside became an opportunity to contribute to meaningful research, gain experience in his chosen field, and begin building the future he wants for himself.
Written by Sarah Flower