Pre-med student unearths the unexpected during archeological dig abroad

If you dig a hole, you might be surprised at what you find.

Just ask Teri Hamer ’07, a pre-med neuroscience major who took a summer off from chemistry labs and calculus proofs to participate in an archaeological dig in Belgium.

Hamer made two important discoveries while meticulously sifting dirt in a trench outside a medieval castle in the town of Louvian-la-Neuve. One was an ornate, six-inch key to the castle itself—an incredible find for a novice. But the second was even more valuable: a newfound appreciation for art and history.

“I never thought of history as its own science before, but I learned how important it is to look at and learn from the past,” says Hamer, who was nicknamed the “Trench Doctor” by her friends on the dig, mostly art and archaeology majors from other colleges.

At the end of the day, maybe brain surgery and archaeology aren’t all that different. Both require a steady hand and a critical eye. “I’ve been on the science track since I got to McDaniel, so I was looking for something different,” Hamer says. “McDaniel College offered me that experience.”

Check out some other summer study-abroad programs offered through McDaniel.