On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Department of Anthropology and gradFUTURES, moderated by Assistant Dean for Professional Development James Van Wyck, brought together three recent Princeton graduates (Genevieve Allotey-Papoe *24, Pasquale Toscano *24, and Ipsita Dey *24) to discuss the process of applying for and securing tenure-track jobs in academia. The panelists discussed how "entering" the job market is emotionally and intellectually complex: one must perform the difficult task of spending hours refining and tailoring job materials (cover letter, CV, teaching statement, research statement, etc.) while simultaneously maintaining a personal and professional identity that is not tied to securing an academic job. 

Panelists talked about: pursuing creative projects that align with personal values (a passion for learning/building/creating can lead to greater personal fulfillment in graduate school and translate into stand-out job materials); building connections inside and outside of Princeton (attending conferences, especially "small" discipline-specific ones, can help build intellectual and professional community); and exploring interdisciplinarity (seeing resources and guidance outside of one's home department can expose one to futures one hadn't considered before). 

Later in the day, a panel of six Anthropology alumni from Princeton University were brought together to discuss career paths for Anthropology graduate students. The six anthropology alumni on the panel were Quincy Amoah *20, Ipsita Dey *24, Pablo Landa *15, Peter Kurie *15, Sebastián Ramírez *18, and Elizabeth Saldaña *23. This panel was moderated by Sebastián Ramírez *18.

The panelists provided their insights on strategies for leveraging the Princeton experience, particularly the "fieldwork" phase, to establish a solid foundation for postgraduate career plans. During an informal conversation, the following salient themes emerged: the importance of fostering relationships with peers and mentors during graduate school; prioritizing mental and emotional well-being while engaged in fieldwork; and exploring internship opportunities with gradFUTURES.