Campus
NEWS “Thermometric Properties
among the courses being
of DNA: Applications to the
offered as part of a new
Deep-sea Biosphere,” will
forensic science minor that
involve students at
was launched at Southern
Southern and Yale.
in the fall. The 18-credit interdisciplinary minor —
The Lovely Bones
Anthropology, Biology,
“Crime Scene
Chemistry, Psychology, and
Valerie Andrushko, a
Investigation,” “Crime
Sociology Departments —
noted expert in bioar-
Science Chemistry,” and
is coordinated by Assistant
chaeology, the study
“Forensic Biology,” are
Professor of Anthropology
of skeletal remains
n
jointly sponsored by the
Assistant Professor Valerie Andrushko [ABOVE, SECOND FROM RIGHT] and members of her class study human bones with a goal of determining the age of the remains.
s
incere thanks to the many alumni and friends who helped
Southern exceed its fundraising goals for the 2009 fiscal from archeological sites.
year. Despite the challenges of the sluggish economy, the university raised close to
$1.84
Andrushko brings
million
in cash support and new commitments — surpassing
extensive experience to the
a goal of $1.6 million.
position. Her scholarly work ranges from investigating
A
lumni giving increased
35%
during
the skeletal remains of the
the last five years — a tangible sign that
Incas in Peru to researching
Southern graduates place great value on
human “trophy-taking” in
their Southern education.
early Native American tribes in central California. Closer
A
total of
7,366
full-time undergraduate
to home, she also has been
students were enrolled at Southern this fall — an all-time
tapped by Nick Bellantoni,
record. Full-time undergraduate enrollment has increased
the state archeologist, to
in 10 out of the past 11 years.
conduct special projects to analyze human remains.
E
nrollment of all full-time students — including
T 79.7%
those enrolled in undergraduate and
designed both for students
graduate programs — rose to
interested in pursuing a
8,346
career in the forensic sci-
— an all-time record.
he retention rate for first-year to second-year students was
6 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
The program is
— the highest in 18 years.
ences and for those who want to pursue other careers, but are interested in the field.