Office of Scholar Development Staff

Anna is in HCIC 1042 (inside the Mahurin Honors College suite). To schedule a meeting, click here!

Anna Mayo works with Western Kentucky University students and alumni to make more possible through global learning by advising on nationally and internationally competitive study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and research opportunities.

Anna first studied abroad as a Gatton Academy student at WKU, attending Harlaxton College in Grantham, U.K., with the support of a World Topper Scholarship. That formative experience—and a later program in Greece—set her on a path that would lead her across Europe and back again. As an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky, she earned B.A.s in Anthropology, English, and Political Science, with minors in Arabic and Islamic Studies as well as International Studies. Her undergraduate study abroad experiences included a program in Denmark, where she deepened her interest in cultural heritage and medieval history. She also spent half a year studying with Maynooth University in Ireland, where she completed an archaeological field school at a Norman castle site in Wexford and took a slate of political science courses—experiences that directly shaped her academic focus on how people and institutions navigate politics across cultures and centuries.

She returned to Kentucky to earn an M.A. in Applied Anthropology, where she worked with the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission to assess the state legislature’s undergraduate  internship programs. She later earned a second M.A. in Medieval Archaeology at the University of York in England, where her research examined institutional power at Benedictine monasteries.

Alongside her academic work, Anna’s professional focus has always centered on student engagement. She mentored undergraduate interns at the state legislature, guided students through complex material around culture and research as a Teaching Assistant in the Anthropology Department at Syracuse University, and has connected patrons with resources and learning opportunities in multiple libraries and museums in Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, England, and Ireland. Across all her roles—in education, research, libraries, and public service—Anna has focused on making complex systems more accessible.

Anna approaches advising through an anthropological lens—one grounded in the study of people, cultures, and how humans make meaning in the world. Anthropology invites us to observe closely, listen deeply, and consider perspectives different from our own. Anna sees anthropology as a kind of toolkit—or a pair of glasses—that you build over time, helping you recognize systems, stories, and experiences that often go unseen, with greater clarity and compassion. She brings that same mindset to her work with students and alumni, encouraging them to reflect on their values, experiences, and goals, as well as the countries, communities, and programs they hope to engage with. To Anna, these awards and the application process are both a means and a mindset: a way to promote access and equity, and an opportunity for students to grow in curiosity, confidence, and cross-cultural understanding.

Originally from Henderson, Kentucky, Anna lived in Bowling Green during high school—but after a decade away, she feels like she’s rediscovering the city with fresh eyes. She grew up exploring the trails and galleries of Audubon Park in Henderson, KY and is currently on the hunt for her new favorite nature spot in south-central Kentucky (though Beaver Lake in Syracuse, NY set a high bar).

Anna loves reading, writing, music, and storytelling in all forms—whether she’s diving into novels, new playlists, medieval archives, podcasts, or television and film. She’s usually juggling a rotating stack of books, a running list of streaming recommendations, and a longform essay or two she swears she’ll finish soon. If she’s not at the library, deep in the woods, or plotting a getaway (30 minutes or three days from here), you’ll probably find her at a nearby movie theater.