FACTS Summer Scholar Program
SUMMER 2025 APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED STARTING JAN 1, 2025
FACTS Summer Scholar Program
The FACTS Summer 2025 Scholar Information.
The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) is pleased to offer an unpaid, non-credit Summer Scholar position for both Texas State and non-Texas State students. Scholars will receive compensated tuition to participate in each FACTS Summer workshop which take place from May 27 through June 13, 2025 and includes a 3-Day Human Osteology Intensive, Outdoor Human Remains Recovery Course, and the Forensic Anthropology Methods Workshop. Scholars will be expected to reside in the San Marcos area. The postitions will run from May 27, 2025 until at minimum June 13, 2025. Workshop enrollment fees will be waived for each workshop and lunch will be provided. No other compensation will be offered. Selected scholars will have the option to extend their position until June 18th if they choose.
Scholar Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities will be participating in these workshops. If scholars choose to extend their stay at FACTS they will also assist with daily operations of FACTS, process skeletal remains, and assist with curation of skeletal remains into the Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection (TXSTDSC). Other tasks include, but are not limited to, the donation program, data management, and daily tasks assigned by the supervisor.
Deadline for Submission
Applications must be received by March 28, 2025 at 11:59pm to be considered for a summer scholar position. Any submissions received after 11:59pm will not be considered.
Eligibility
- Must be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student in Anthropology or a related field
- Must have familiarity with osteology
- Must be available throughout the entire required interval (May 27 - June 13, 2025)
- Must have a means of transportation while in San Marcos
Commitment to Our Students
FACTS, like the Anthropology Department at Texas State, is committed to:
- The cultivation of character and the modeling of honesty, integrity, compassion, fairness, respect, and ethical behavior, both in the classroom and beyond; and
- Engaged teaching and learning based in dialogue, student involvement, and the free exchange of ideas.
- a diversity of people and ideas, a spirit of inclusiveness, a global perspective, and a sense of community as essential conditions for campus life
Application Requirements
Interested students must complete the FACTS Scholar Application Form, submit a cover letter, and submit a current CV. The cover letter should address how the applicant’s background and interests fit the program, and what they hope to accomplish as a scholar. We are specifically interested to hear how the applicants plan to use the knowledge they gain from the workshops in their future careers.
A letter of recommendation from the applicant’s faculty sponsor must be submitted in order for an application to be considered complete and subsequently reviewed. The recommendation letter can be mailed to Dr. Sophia Mavroudas, Associate Director-FACTS, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666 or a signed pdf of the letter can be emailed to Dr. Mavroudas at facts@txstate.edu.
The faculty sponsor should be a professor who has taught the applicant or is familiar with the applicant's academic performance. The sponsor should also be able to evaluate the participant's ability to successfully participate in the program.
Submission Checklist
Please submit your complete application to Dr. Sophia Mavroudas - sm78@txstate.edu The subject line of your email should read 'FACTS Summer 2025 Scholar Program'. All applications without this subject line may be incorrectly sorted and subsequently will not be considered. Your letter of recommendation may be sent separately.
The application should include:
- Cover Letter including your name
- FACTS Scholar Application Form
- CV
Successful Applicants will be notified no later than April 15, 2025.
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FAQs about the Scholar Program
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Can undergraduate students be scholars?
Yes, we welcome both undergraduate and graduate student scholars.
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If I haven't taken an osteology course, can I still apply?
Yes, you may still apply with no osteology course if you have had equivalent experiences. If you have had no experience with human osteology, your application will be considered less competitive than those who have had osteology.
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Where do your scholars come from?
FACTS Scholars (formerly interns) come from across the world. We have had many interns from Texas, but also PA, NY, CA, AL, GA, IL, FL, LA, Greece, Canada, Australia, and South Africa
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What if I am uninterested in participating in the workshops, can I still apply?
The experience is designed to provide compensated tuition for our summer workshops. We discourage you from applying if you are not interested in participating, as there will be no other activities available during that time. We have designed this opportunity to overlap with these courses so that students who may not normally have the means or access to participate in our workshops have an opportunity to learn at FACTS.
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I thought Texas State students were ineligible? Can I really apply?
Yes, we have opened up the program for Texas State student applicants.
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If I don't have a car, can I still apply?
Yes, you may still apply with no vehicle. However, you are responsible for getting around town and to our various laboratories. Our main lab is on a TXST bus loop, but we have other lab spaces that are not on the loop. With no vehicle, you should be prepared to pay for ride-share services or taxis while you are here to get around town and to and from your internship if necessary.
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Who can I talk to if I or my faculty advisor has questions?
Please direct all inquiries to Dr. Sophia Mavroudas via email - sm78@txstate.edu.
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