Anchored in Anthropology: Alumnus Griffon Hooper’s Unconventional Path

University of San Diego alumnus Griffon Hooper ’23 (BA), an anthropology and communication studies major, is using his College of Arts and Sciences degrees to take the path less traveled. Hooper’s interest in anthropology, in particular, has helped him pursue exciting opportunities and discover new interests.

Hooper’s engagement with anthropology began through faculty mentorship with Associate Professor of Anthropology Jerome Hall, PhD, and applied coursework. He recalls, “I found the field of nautical archaeology through Dr. Hall and was immediately captivated.” That early connection led to deeper involvement within the department. As a student, he was a founding member of the current USD Anthropology Club and later served as the club’s second president, helping build a student community grounded in shared curiosity and applied learning.

Through the Department of Anthropology, Hooper participated in research that emphasized material culture, place and method. His work included contributing to palynological research on “plaster samples from a Diakonikon in Hippos, Israel,” as well as conducting independent research “determining provenance for a salvaged clay smoking pipe found by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Laos.” These experiences not only helped him practice focusing on context and evidence, but also helped him develop skills transferable beyond an academic setting.

“My college path was not traditional,” he shares. After being asked to leave the university early on, he spent two years rebuilding his academic record through community college coursework while working full time. When he was re-admitted, his focus was clear. “It was important to me that I could build real skills that would be applicable beyond the university,” he explains, motivated by the desire to create stability and meaningful work.

Following graduation, Hooper entered archaeological fieldwork, working on contract in the Mojave Desert where his team focused on “lithic analysis and indigenous toolmaking by employing methods of pedestrian linear survey, site marking and data recovery.” It was through this work that his interest in spatial analysis deepened. “My anthropology degree was a doorway into archaeological field work,” he reflects, “and once I was in the field, I discovered my passion for GIS.”

In his most recent role at Esri, Hooper supported electric and gas utilities across the United States as they mapped assets, modernized infrastructure and expanded their use of geographic information systems. He credits anthropology with shaping how he approaches this work, from independent research to cross-cultural communication and problem solving. Hooper’s experience offers a grounded example of anthropology as a discipline that does not narrow possibilities, but rather provides a steady foundation for movement across fields, industries and ways of working.

Reflecting on his education, Hooper is clear about the role anthropology continues to play in his life. “My degree has not caused me to miss any opportunities,” he shares. “Instead it is an anchor.” That perspective underlines his continued connection to the Department of Anthropology and his interest in pursuing a graduate degree at Flinders University in Australia, where he will be studying underwater archaeology and GIS.