Dr. Keith Eppich recently joined the full-time faculty at Tyler Junior College.
He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in anthropology and archeology to the classroom. He holds multiple degrees from Louisiana State University and San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University.
Eppich joined his first archaeological project at age eight, at Bedico Creek, Louisiana. Since then, he has excavated Tchefuncte shell mounds, Pleistocene bone beds, antebellum plantations, California missions, Chumash camp-sites, and ancient Maya cities. With his co-directors, he heads the Proyecto Arqueológico Waka’, a large-scale and long-term archaeological project in northwestern Guatemala, at the ruined city of El Perú-Waka’. There he excavated one of the seven great tombs from the site and is involved in planning a major presentation of these materials in North Texas.
Eppich holds bachelor’s degrees in history and anthropology as well as a master’s in education from Louisiana State University, a master’s in anthropology from San Diego State University, and a master’s and doctorate in anthropology from Southern Methodist University. He specializes in the study of the Classic Maya ceramic arts, Native American urbanism, and the Mesoamerican economy. He has recently published on all three. He is the author of the forthcoming volume Lineage and State at El Perú-Waka’: ceramics and the social history of the Classic Maya city-state and the co-editor of Breath and Smoke: Tobacco among the Maya.
History/Geography Department Chair Dr. Jeffrey Owens said, “We are excited to add anthropology to our curriculum, and with Dr. Eppich’s experience, these classes will be fascinating to the students. We’re always looking to build the credentials, abilities and breadth of our faculty.”
Owens explained that professors in TJC's History and Geography Department have diverse experiences and backgrounds. The department has five full-time professors with doctoral degrees, from LSU, Tulane, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and SMU. Six full-time professors hold master’s degrees, from the University of Virginia, Houston-Clear Lake, UT Tyler, Memphis, SUNY-Buffalo, and the Naval Postgraduate College. Eleven of TJC’s adjunct history and geography professors have Ph.D.'s, with degrees from LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor. The adjunct pool also includes professors with master’s degrees from Missouri State, UT Arlington, UT Tyler, Arkansas Tech, Texas Tech, American Military, Southeastern Oklahoma, Cal State at Sacramento, Western Kentucky, North Texas, Stephen F. Austin, and Sam Houston.
Two Navy veterans serve as full-time history/geography faculty, including a retired lieutenant commander, and two Navy veterans work as adjunct professors.
“As TJC continues to grow its programs to meet the needs of our community, we are pleased to offer these new courses and to continue the well-known classes that so many have benefited from in the past,” said Owens.