Archaeologist Cheryl L. Wase spent most of her career working in the high deserts of New Mexico. She died at the too young age of 53 in 2004. When her mother, Jane Francy Wase, passed away in 2013, she left a bequest to the SAA to endow a memorial scholarship in her daughter's name. This generous memorial bequest brings together three major themes that defined Cheryl Wase's life: her dedication to archaeology, her love for New Mexico, and her constant willingness to help and support other women.
The Cheryl L. Wase Memorial Scholarship for the Study of Archaeology provides funding for higher education in archaeology. It is awarded to women who are residents of New Mexico and pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in anthropology with a specialization in archaeology from a fully accredited university in the state of New Mexico (Eastern New Mexico University, New Mexico State University, or University of New Mexico). This is also offered to applicants pursuing an MA or MS in Anthropology with Focus on Archaeology and Bioarchaeology (ENMU), Cultural Resource Management (NMHU), Emphasis on Archaeology (NMSU), or Public Archaeology (UNM). Applicants must be at least 18 and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Dollar amounts for this scholarship will vary.