Vernon Wells

Coming from a first-generation college background and having attended an under-resourced and tiny public school, arriving at Penn made me quickly feel overwhelmed. Not only did I have no prior research experience, but I also encountered difficulty due to Penn having no Southeast Asia Studies program, and thus few faculty and courses for me to explore my interests with. Now a senior, I have learned how to use the resources available to me, pursuing my research on Indigenous Philippines in the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and the Asian American Studies Fellowship. I even conducted the fieldwork for my Anthropology Senior Thesis this past summer in the Philippines with funding from CURF.

I am double-majoring in Anthropology and Sociology with a minor in Asian American Studies, and as one of the few social science RPAs, I would be happy to work with any students whose interests intersect with or relate to mine, even if not directly. I also especially welcome any queer students, first-generation students, Southeast Asian students, students with research areas not readily found at Penn, or students from rural areas or under-resourced high schools to reach out.