Congratulations to Grace Eriksen, the 2023 Sherri Gust Memorial Scholarship Recipient!
As a child, Grace was always outside, covered in dirt, carrying shovels and pretending she was an explorer, a researcher, and a treasure hunter. She grew up fascinated with the hidden treasures around her and under her feet. In first grade when her classmates were setting traditional career goals like astronauts, presidents, and princesses – Grace wanted to be a paleontologist. High school history classes turned her focus to archaeology. This summer, she is working as an archaeology intern for the Yosemite Leadership Program at Yosemite National Park, where she is working with different CRM teams both in the field and in the office. After graduation Grace plans to gain experience with a job in CRM or with the Forest Service before applying to graduate school.
How to Apply to the Scholarship
The Pacific Coast Archaeological Society offers scholarships each year to students majoring in Archaeology or Anthropology. These awards are in keeping with their mandate to encourage interest and education in the discipline of Archaeology. Undergraduate students who will have upper division status in the fall of the scholarship year are eligible to apply. Applicants can either be transferring from a community college or already enrolled at a four-year university. Eligibility is limited to students residing in California, or students attending, or planning to attend a university in California.
Sherri Gust
Sherri Gust founded Cogstone in 2001, and over 18 years built the company into a successful cultural resource management firm. Her decades of experience as an archaeologist, a paleontologist, and an osteologist were integral to Cogstone’s many accomplishments. She was also a Life Member and past president of the Pacific Coast Archaeological Society (PCAS).
In her memory, Cogstone funds the annual PCAS Sherri Gust Memorial Scholarship which encourages interest and education in the discipline of archaeology.