ADEN HERNANDEZ
Simpsonville
Summary
On May 9th, 2026, I graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology. The volunteer and internship work I have done thus far has allowed me to pick up a multitude of skills and obtain knowledge in this profession that can prove to be useful. Through this work, I have demonstrated that I have a meticulous attention to detail through the re-curation of artifacts for SCIAA, am able to work with teams of various expertise even in regions I am wholly unfamiliar with, am an effective communicator whether it be verbal or written, and am able to bring in knowledge on digital content creation which can help inform the general public involved on the archaeological process. As I look to enter the professional field, I am dedicated to furthering my knowledge on the field of archaeology itself and the various procedures and anthropological methods that come with it.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Cashier
Pete's of Simpsonville
Simpsonville, SC
05.2021 - 07.2022
- During my time as a cashier at Pete's of Simpsonville, it was my job to greet each and every customer who came into the restaurant with a friendly smile before taking their order. If I was scheduled for a morning shift, I would perform various tasks around the building that would ensure that everything was ready for the day; whether it be putting ketchup on the tables, refilling the fountain we had outside, or preparing rags for the kitchen. During my shift I would take a customer's order and bring their food to them when they were ready, or bag it for them if it was a to-go order / drive-thru. A couple of the more special tasks would be occasionally manning the drive-thru window if the person stationed there had to step away, and I would be chosen to make runs to the Walmart down the street to get ingredients (I usually bread and milk) if we were running low. Most of the shifts I worked were in the afternoon/night, as I was going to school for most of the year, and this is where most of the tasks I did came from. I would either be assigned or volunteer for tasks around the restaurant ranging from doing the dishes, restocking items at the front like sauces and cups, cleaning glass doors, refilling the ketchup bottles, putting the sweet tea in the cooler for the next day, and so on.
Cashier
Food Lion
Simpsonville, South Carolina
05.2023 - 08.2024
- In 2022 I graduated high school and began attending Coastal Carolina University, and during the 2023 and 2024 summer breaks I would work at a Food Lion back home. During my time working with the company, it was my job to greet every customer with a friendly smile before helping them with their groceries. During my shift, I would scan and bag a customer's groceries, either have them put in their number so they can get discounted prices or help them sign up if they weren't already, clean up my station, and put pop-back items away at the end of my shift. Occasionally I would help customers put the bags in their cars, and I often was sent out to get carts so we did not run low. On two occasions a storm knocked out the power, forcing us to operate around not being able to perform Doordash orders or use debit cards for transactions. During these events, I would stay behind and help put items back onto the shelves or put them into a cart that would be brought to the back and put into the coolers (such as meat), not leaving until I had a replacement who would help when I couldn't stay longer.
Cashier
Lowes Foods
Lexington, SC
11.2024 - Current
- While attending the University of South Carolina, I began to work as a cashier for Lowes Foods. Currently, and much like Food Lion, it is my job to greet every customer with a friendly smile before helping them with their groceries. During my shift, I scan and bag a customer's groceries, scan their rewards card, put in their number, or get a manager to scan the store card if they don't have one in order to get them the store discounts. I also ask them if they would like to donate to an organization the store is working with at the time. Some shifts see me bagging for coworkers rather than manning the register, and sometimes I will be sent out to help put a customer's bags into their car. I am often sent out to go get carts if we are running low, I occasionally watch over the self checkout area, and I help restock and clean the front near the end of my shift when there aren't as many customers. I also perform various tasks that I am assigned to, such as collecting trash, mopping the bathrooms, or even putting items back onto the shelf or in the back if they are unsellable.
Volunteer
SC Institute for Archeology and Anthropology
Columbia, SC
01.2025 - 05.2025
- During my time working as an intern for SCIAA, I assisted in the re-curation and cataloging of artifacts from the 2004 Topper site excavations. This work ensured the preservation of artifacts and their accompanying information for future archaeological analysis.
Intern
Archaeoclub d'Italia Sede Massa Lubrense
Massa Lubrense, Campania
06.2025 - 06.2025
- In June of 2025, I was able to study abroad to Sorrento, Italy. While there, I collaborated with Professor Domenico Palumbo, who worked for the Sant'Anna Institute, and Archaeoclub d'Italia on the creation of a website that would bring together multiple sources in order to create a timeline of the history of the Campania region as well as its cultural development.
Student
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
05.2026 - 05.2026
- After graduating from USC, I took Dr. Kelly Goldberg's 2026 Archaeology Field School course. The first week of the course focused looking for the remains of a tenant house in Sesquicentennial State Park, and the final two weeks were spent on USC where we continued an already existing project of excavating an area that would have had a disconnected kitchen behind where the president's house use to be before it was torn down in order to build the McKissick Museum. My time at the field school has proven to be invaluable, as it allowed me to learn various field and lab techniques and skills that I can transfer into a professional environment. These include: recording clear field notes that detail the methods performed, what artifacts would have been found, and generally what occurred that day, performing screening techniques using both handheld and propped screens, conducting thorough artifact cleaning and cataloging, and creating accurate feature and soil profile drawings.
Volunteer
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
03.2026 - Current
- Over the summer, I will be working with Dr. Terrance Weik on a project involving a cemetery that dates back to the 1800s near Columbia, SC.
Education
High School -
Hillcrest High School
Simpsonville, SC01-2022
Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC01-2026
Some college (No degree) - Anthropology
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC05-2024
Skills
- Artifact Cataloging
- Team Collaboration
- Fieldwork Techniques
- Attention to Detail
- Digital Content Creation
- Effective communication with team members
Timeline
Student
University of South Carolina
05.2026 - 05.2026
Volunteer
University of South Carolina
03.2026 - Current
Intern
Archaeoclub d'Italia Sede Massa Lubrense
06.2025 - 06.2025
Volunteer
SC Institute for Archeology and Anthropology
01.2025 - 05.2025
Cashier
Lowes Foods
11.2024 - Current
Cashier
Food Lion
05.2023 - 08.2024
Cashier
Pete's of Simpsonville
05.2021 - 07.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology
University of South Carolina
Some college (No degree) - Anthropology
Coastal Carolina University
High School -
Hillcrest High School