2019 News
Media Day, Thursday, August 1
WMU Provost Jennifer Bott and Dean Carla Koretsky of the College of Arts and Sciences toured the WMU 44th annual Archaeological Field School at Fort St. Joseph on August during Media Day when the site was opened to the public in anticipation of the Archaeology Open House. Their visit highlighted the Project’s distinction as one of WMU’s premier community service learning opportunities offered to university students each summer. The Project’s principal investigator, Dr. Michael Nassaney, Professor of Anthropology in the Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies (IIAS) and a member of the History Department, has directed the field school since 1994. Since 2002, the field school has operated as a long-term, multidisciplinary, community-based partnership between the City of Niles and WMU. Students and staff are given numerous opportunities throughout the summer to meet and engage with members of the community through various outreach events and activities including museum visits, summer camps, community-sponsored meals, a lecture series, social media, and the Archaeology Open House.
Archaeological Field School Camp Information
Sponsored by Western Michigan University and the city of Niles, the summer camp program provides an opportunity for the public to engage in history and search for evidence at the Fort St. Joseph archeology site. Led by Tim Bober, WMU public education instructor, participants spend a week discovering the extensive history of Fort St. Joseph and work alongside University students conducting on-site excavations, wet screening, mapping and analysis of recovered artifacts.
An approved continuing education program, the lifelong learner camps offer adult students three WMU graduate credits, nine State Board Continuing Education Units in Michigan, credits for recertification in Illinois, or credits applicable toward the Professional Growth Plan in Indiana.
CAMP DATES & APPLICATIONS
- July 13-17: Middle School Students (entering grades 6-8)
- July 20-24: High School Students (entering grades 9-12)
- July 27-31: Lifelong Learners and Educators
New! July 6-10: EXPERIENCED LEARNERS (For returning campers who have completed 1-2 years of Camp). Contact the Niles History Center for more information (nileshistory@nilesmi.com).
Applications are also available at nilesmi.org until all camps are filled. The camp fee is $150 and scholarships may be available.
For more information about the camp program, contact Timothy Bober at (616) 581-6729.
2020 SUMMER ARCHAEOLOGY LECTURE SERIES
Days will be announced once available for the 2020 series. The lectures will take place at 7 P.M. at the Niles District Library (620 E Main, Niles, MI 49120).
2020 Open House
Come back soon for next season's open house information.
2020 Application for the Archaeological Field School
Applications for the 2020 field school should be submitted by Friday, March 20, 2020.
2020 Field positions in archaeology
Applications for the 2020 field positions should be submitted by March 15, 2020 but application review will be ongoing until all positions are filled.
The Fort St. Joseph Post
Recent news about the ongoing research, projects and alumni of Fort St. Joseph.
Videos of Public Archaeology at Fort St. Joseph
- See how University students and the community benefit from archaeology at Fort St. Joseph.
- Watch what happens when middle school students get involved in the project and get ready to get dirty.
- Watch project activities from a first person point-of-view.