Mentoring
Current Availability
Prospective MA & PhD Students
I am accepting applications for two new MA/PhD students for the 2025-2026 academic year. The sociocultural TXST MA program is competitively funded (not all students are funded, but most receive at least a year of funding). The Applied Anthropology PhD program is funded for five-years with a stipend of ~$30k (tuition not included). Both programs require in-person residency during coursework (2 years, Aug-May). For more information, see the TXST Anthropology MA program and Applied Anthropology PhD program websites.
Interested in working with me as a graduate student? This is what I look for in student applications.
- Does the student meet the minimum program requirements? Applications are rejected by the graduate college before I even see them if students do not meet the minimum GPA and degree requirements. So, double-check before applying.
- Do I have the expertise and experience neccessary to support this student? I only accept students who have research interests in areas that I have sufficient ability to support their professional and research goals. Read through this website, including my research and students' research to get an idea of what areas I support. If you're unsure, send me an email with your interests.
- Is this student going to be able to complete the program on time? Our program has a strict timeline (MA is 2 years; PhD is 5 years) intended to reduce costs and support your professionalization (there are accomodations, if needed). So, it is vital that your application presents a focused and feasible research area for your thesis/dissertation. This does not need to be completely fleshed out and things will likely change during your time in the program. But show me that you have a solid understanding of your own interests and how to appropriately scope them for the time you'll have. For example, do not pitch a project that is impossible to study in one summer (MA) or one year (PhD) of fieldwork.
Mentorship
Throughout my career I have had the privilege and benefit of having generous mentors who helped me navigate my academic and professional journeys. Whenever I am able, I am happy to meet and email with students, junior professionals, and peers seeking mentorship. Please reach out via email at akvbroek@txstate.edu and explain in what areas you are seeking mentorship (e.g., research, professionalization, transitioning to practicing career, etc.) and why you think I am a good person to help you (e.g., shared research interests, shared professional interests, etc.). These should just be a sentence or so each—just enough to help me understand if I have the knowledge and experience to support you or if I should recommend a more suitable connection.
I also highly recommend CASTAC-Net, The CASTAC Mentorship Program. We pair up people based on mentorship interests before the AAA Annual Meeting each year for in-person or virtual meetups.