BA in Anthropology

Emily Mann, 2013

Year you graduated with your BA:
2013

Where you are employed currently and the job you hold
The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) - Program Coordinator

What you like about your work
IWPR works in some of the most difficult areas around the world, providing assistance and training to countries in conflict and transition, and to closed societies. While this makes our work extremely challenging, it is equally rewarding. As a program coordinator, I help design meaningful projects that make a positive impact on people's lives. I love the research and networking involved with developing new projects, and seeking a nuanced understanding of people's needs. I appreciate that IWPR prioritizes local knowledge in its programming, which is apparent in its staffing and its implementation approach.

How you use what you learned from anthropology and your anthropological training at Mason
I’ve relied heavily on the qualitative research skills I gained as an anthropology major. Similar to how an anthropologist represents her informants, I act as a liaison between our implementation team and the donor. I conduct deep interviews with our team working in the field and design questionnaires for our participants to track our project’s progress and long-term impact. I design monitoring and evaluation plans that ensure we meet our project objectives and allow for course correction if we aren’t. Most importantly, I analyze our participants’ feedback for key insights that help us better meet their needs.