Caitlin Zant
Caitlin Zant
Class Year
’12
Current home
Madison, Wisconsin
Major(s)
Geography and Earth Science, History
Current Position
Maritime Archaeologist
During her time at Carthage, Caitlin Zant made an impact in both of her departments as the only Class of 2012 graduate to focus on historical geography for her Senior Thesis.
She is now a maritime archaeologist with the Wisconsin Historical Society based in Madison. She attributes her success and position to Carthage’s amazing faculty, liberal arts focus, and many opportunities for fulfilling, unique experiences along the way.
What have you enjoyed most about your career?
“I really enjoy the diversity that this career brings and the excitement that people have when they learn about something new. You never know what you will discover, and there is such a wide breadth to the study of maritime archaeology that it ties into almost every aspect of human history. Maritime archaeology encompasses the study of human interaction with water, so it spans the globe, but it is also something that can still be seen in your backyard. I also really enjoy being able to see artifacts and shipwrecks that in many cases, no one has seen in over one hundred years. It gives you a snapshot of how life was at a specific point in history that you wouldn’t normally get to see.”
How did Carthage prepare you?
“Pretty much every aspect of my Carthage experience helped prepare me for this career. The ability to easily graduate with a double major allowed me to explore the study of history through a geographical perspective, a perspective that is many times overlooked in each individual field of study, and it is something that I was able to directly apply to my career in maritime archaeology.
“At its root, maritime history and archaeology are geographical. Additionally, the liberal arts focus at Carthage really allowed me to explore a lot of different interests and mold my college experience into something very unique, which helped me figure out where I wanted to go after college. The focus on writing and public speaking was incredibly helpful as I moved into my master’s program, and into my career. As maritime archaeologists, we are constantly writing reports, both for academic purposes and for public consumption. My ability to communicate comes in handy almost every day as we have to give public presentations and conduct outreach events on a regular basis.”
How has your liberal arts education benefitted you?
“I’m not sure that I have one specific example of when the liberal arts skills I gained at Carthage helped the most, but they help me almost every day. Critical thinking and being able to attack problems from multiple angles is something that I have to do almost every day in research, fieldwork, public outreach, and when managing volunteers. When looking at a particularly complicated archaeological site, or tough research question, the skills I learned at Carthage really help me know how to come up with unique solutions. Additionally, my ability to communicate comes in handy almost every day as we have to give public presentations and conduct outreach events on a regular basis.”