This symposium will showcase graduating anthropology majors' ability to "think anthropologically" and to apply disciplinary concepts and methods to community-based learning situations. In keeping with the applied orientation of the anthropology program, practicum experiences provide the basis for students' capstone work. Both the practicum venues and analytical foci that result are remarkably diverse, reflecting students' personal interests, learning goals, topical orientations, and ultimate career objectives. However, as the presentations in this symposium demonstrate, the anthropological approach can be productively applied to decipher meanings and institutions in any setting. Anthropology at SOU is "out in the world," making positive contributions to many aspects of community life.