Rachana Rao Umashankar

Rachana Rao Umashankar graduated from Knox in 2004.

Academics

While at Knox, Umashankar majored in anthropology and sociology and minored in economics. She graduated in 2004, Magna Cum Laude.

Extracurricular Activities

Umashankar served as head of the anthropology and sociology club. It is significant to note that for most of her years with this organization, Umashankar remained not only President, but also its sole member. She is known to have remarked on occasion, "Le club, c'est moi". She passed this weighty position to Matt Holland upon graduating. Umashankar was also active in AAINA and played a key role in designing India's frequently award-winning booth at the International Fair. A multi-talented student, her compositions for the harp have been published in Catch. Rachana also worked at Cornucopia.

Post-Knox

Dr. Umashankar completed graduate school in anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, specializing in the Anthropology of Religion. She is now Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and the Religions of India at University in New Rochelle, NY.