Dr. Larissa Smith has a M.S. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from UIC and is a McNair Scholars Program alumnus. Besides being a TRIO alum and a Chicago local, Larissa's experience across domains in higher education make her the best fit as our new assistant director for the McNair Scholars Program. She is currently teaching as an adjunct here at DePaul where students consistently mention in their reviews that she is and amazing professor: fun to learn from due to her animated eloquence during lecture, and a great support when seeking advice. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Smith has an extensive research history that includes museum collaborations, lab management, and she has served investigations as the Principal Investigator for the development of an anthropological and archaeological field work in the Philippines. In addition, Dr. Smith has experience administrating graduate students' programming for fieldwork experiences and research abroad.