Bridging Cultures Through Archaeology: SBS Student Success Awardee Christopher Manuel, ‘25

Christopher Manuel — an Honors student who is graduating with a major in anthropology with an emphasis in archaeological sciences and a minor in geography — is the recipient of the SBS Student Success Award for spring 2025. The award is given to a graduating senior who is a first-generation college student.

“Chris is an Indigenous, first-generation college student for whom the U of A has been a transformative and enriching experience. He embodies what it means to be a Wildcat and a student in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences — selecting a challenging course of study and engaging in multiple opportunities for student involvement and research, both independently and collaboratively," wrote Regents Professor Barbara Mills and Professor Emma Blake, who nominated him for the award.

Christopher has taken a well-rounded approach to his college experience, balancing academic achievement, research, and creativity — earning both recognition and respect along the way.

A second-degree black belt in martial arts, Christopher is also a member of the Undergraduate Anthropology Club and an accomplished musician. He played tenor saxophone in the Pride of Arizona band during the season it was awarded the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Trophy. In spring 2025, he received the Student Research Support Award from the School of Anthropology and attended the Society for American Archaeology, or SAA, annual conference in Denver, Colorado.

In a month-long archaeology field school in Sicily, Blake wrote that Christopher “worked hard and made important cross-cultural connections,” that he noted interesting parallels between the Native Sicilian experience and that of Indigenous North Americans. 

“The School of Anthropology provided me many opportunities for research and new connections,” Christopher said. “I was able to attend the SAA conference, and not only join the field school, but also the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center’s College Field School. With gracious support from the faculty, I received scholarships and research awards to help finance my studies, which aided me in graduating.” 

For his Honors thesis “A Cross-Media Approach to Zuni Bird Iconography,” Christopher explored how Zuni representations of birds — in oral history, ceremonies, pottery, and art — evolved over time, revealing a major cultural shift around AD 1450 from depicting tropical birds like macaws to more local birds like eagles, with comparisons to Hopi and Mesoamerican traditions.

“Combining Dr. Mills’ vast knowledge of southwest landscapes and pueblo peoples, with my Indigenous perspective, allowed me to write various concepts and perceptions into my thesis work,” Christopher said. 

Christopher is planning to apply to graduate programs in archaeology, and in the meantime, he's considering working on a cultural resources management team, which would give him experience working at various sites around the Southwest.

“With my ideas and work, I hope that I can make a positive impact on the discipline,” Christopher said. “I also hope to continue to collaborate with tribal communities in the process, to uplift them and learn from their perspective.” 

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