Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
Emilia Pierce has been compiling a family tree since she was 10 years old. When it came time to continue her academic journey, she enrolled in community college, where she felt lost and without a plan for what to study. One day, a thought occurred to her — why not turn this hobby into a career?
Five semesters later, Pierce is graduating this spring with bachelor’s degrees in history from the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies and anthropology from the School of Human Evolution and Social Change from ASU Online.
She has received scholarships from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund and Teamsters Local 727 Educational Assistance Fund. Pierce is also graduating summa cum laude and has been nominated to join Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most celebrated college honor society in the U.S.
Although Pierce says she isn’t sure what her future career will entail, she hopes to pursue opportunities related to genealogy or archival work. She is particularly interested in investigative genetic genealogy, naming unidentified remains to provide closure to their families.
In the meantime, after graduation she plans to rest and continue her seasonal job at the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Cemeteries near her hometown of Brookfield, Illinois.
We talked to Pierce to learn more about her experience at ASU.
Note: Answers have been edited lightly for length and/or clarity.
Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU (in the classroom or otherwise) that surprised you or changed your perspective?
Answer: One thing that changed my perspective of post-high school education was the diversity of students attending ASU. ASU students are all at different walks of life, some directly from high school and others returning years later. I often feel anxious about not being 100% certain of which path to take careerwise, but this age diversity made me realize that I'm not behind in figuring out my professional goals; it is never too late to decide on one singular career field that will stick for the rest of my life.
Q: Have you participated in or benefited from any programs, labs or centers at ASU?
A: I have participated in the Culture, Health and Environment Laboratory's Social Research Training program for course credits towards my anthropology degree. This revolved around qualitative data collection and analysis within anthropological research, giving me an idea of how a job in the social sciences may look outside of an academic setting. I've also worked as a student grader for two anthropology classes.
Q: Which person taught you the most important lesson you’ve learned at ASU? What was the lesson?
A: My success coach, Christina Mason, was a pleasure to talk to these past couple years via Zoom. She was aware of my lack of motivation to complete assignments from burnout but saw how much I've accomplished despite this drawback. She pushed me to do my best but to also relax and take care of myself. It's important to reach out to others for support when needed, and don't be afraid to do so.
Q: What is the best piece of advice you’d give to other students?
A: All students must remember that it's OK to be unsure of the future at this given moment. Professional goals should come naturally and not by force. I personally narrowed down these goals by addressing my hobbies and researching how to make my top hobby (family history) into a career, making work fun rather than a chore. This may apply to others as well.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: $40 million would greatly help identify these unidentified decedents, as the process is costlier than it initially seems. Improved DNA analysis techniques and technology could give names and comfort to thousands of people around the world. Additionally, these improvements could get murderers off the street and behind bars, making the world safer to live in.
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