News and Kudos
Sixth Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, May 19, 2008
Northwestern University
Three Classics majors were selected to present their Senior Thesis projects at the research symposium this year. We congratulate Nicole, Laura, and Dustin, and their faculty mentors, for a wonderful job. Well done!
Nicole Berlin, "Second Style Painting in Roman Cubicula" (judged best poster of her session)
Laura Garafalo, "Divine Representations of Roman Children in Funerary Portraiture"
Dustin Dixon, "Unnamed Characters in the Tragedies of Sophocles"
_____
Department of Classics students presented papers at
104th annual meeting of the Classical Association of the
Middle West and South (CAMWS),
April 16-19, 2008, Tucson, Arizona
Nicole Berlin, "The Hardening of Archaic Sparta"
Dustin Dixon, "Hymnic Formulae and Ritualistic Language in Cicero's De Domo"
Laura Garofalo, "Divine Iconography in Funerary Portraits of Roman Children"
Colleen Kron, "Democracy in Hellenistic Cos: An Anthropological Perspective"
Sailakshmi Ramgopal (Classics graduate 2006, now at the University of Chicago), "Italia Restituta: Perceptions of Italy and Economic Policy in Roman Road Construction"
_____
Academic year 2007-2008 prizes and awards honoring the following individuals were celebrated at the Department of Classics annual lamb roast hosted by Eta Sigma Phi. Heartiest congratulations to all!
- Murley Prize for Undergraduate Achievement: Shelby Walchuk (major) and Thomas H. Rousse (minor)
- Murley Undergraduate Prize for Undergraduate Research in Classical Literature and Culture: Elizabeth A. Weber and Mina Marien
- For Excellence in First Year Greek: Megan Gier
Honorable Mention: Laura Ryals
- For Excellence in Second Year Greek: Eleftherios Gdoutos
Honorable Mention: Jessica Cheng
- For Excellence in First Year Latin: Carolyn Cook
Honorable Mention: Tian T. Gao
- For Excellence in Second Year Latin: Thomas Couri
and Hana Suckstorff
Honorable Mention: David Calvelage
- Possunt quia posse videntur Award to the Most Dedicated Latin Student: Marissa Solomon
- Illinois Classical Conference Award: Kristin Mann
- Theatre and Classics Award: Prof. Dan Garrison
- Diogenes Not-The-Cynic Award: Prof. Richard Kraut
_____
Study Abroad in 2008-2009
Samuel Eckland will spend the fall quarter 2008 at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Katie Fine will summer in Greece at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens as the recipient of a Northwestern Undergraduate Research Grant for her honors thesis; she will participate in the first session of the ASCSA summer program
Megan Gier will spend the entire academic year at the Università di Bologna, Italy
Elizabeth Handler can be found in Prague for the fall quarter 2008
Lauren Isaacs plans to spend the fall quarter in Edinburgh, Scotland
Emily Miller can be found in Paris in fall 2008, exploring European Union Studies at Sciences Po
Daniel Rockoff spends the fall quarter at King's College London
Jonathan Simrin, in either winter or spring quarter, will find himself in either Prague or Greece
_____
Summer and/or Senior plans 2008-2009
Nicole Berlin - "I have a grant from the Etruscan Foundation to dig in Chiusi, Italy. I will be excavating a Roman domus. [Next year] I am planning to move to Italy and currently plan to intern at an art gallery in Florence . . . then apply next fall to get my PhD in Art History (Roman Art) for the following school year"
Jessica Cheng - "I'm interning as an Archaeology assistant at the Academia Sinica, Institute of History and Philology in Nankang, Taipei County, Taiwan" [Jessica spent the spring semester in New York as a Medill School of Journalism intern at Popular Science magazine]
Dustin Dixon - in fall 2008, Dustin begins study in the PhD program in Classical Studies at Boston University
Julie Fountain - "I will be starting the MA/PhD at the University of Illinois at Chicago this fall, in modern British history"
Laura Garofalo - "I plan to begin graduate school in Classics at Johns Hopkins University in fall 2008. This summer, I plan to work or intern at a museum (plans pending) and start working on my German at the Goethe Institute of Chicago" [Laura was also admitted for a M.Phil. in Classics at Cambridge University, Lucy Cavendish College]
Christina Katsos - "I am a senior classics minor, and will be continuing my education next year in nursing school--the minor was for fun and a personal enjoyment of ancient Greek!"
Colleen Kron - "Next year [I'll begin] the MA/PhD program at the University of Pennsylvania in Art & Archaeology of the Mediterranean World"
Amy Lather - "I just received notice that I will be getting a Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences grant to do research here in Evanston this summer"
Kristin Mann - ". . . in the fall I will be entering UCLA's graduate program"
Shelby Walchuk - "I will be working as a Latin Instructor/Specialist right here in Evanston at the city's Summer Arts Camp. My primary focus will be introducing 6 to 11 year-olds to the fascinating world of Roman culture and history. It is my hope that this exploration will serve as a foundation for students to pursue further study and inquiry in the field of Classics"
Robin Willis - "I will be traveling to South Africa to study theatre for social change at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship"
UPDATES on some recent Classics graduates
Two 2008 Northwestern graduates have been working alongside the lead Latin teachers at Baker Demonstration School and helped the Wilmette private school’s Certamen team win top honors at the regional contest held April 29, 2008 at Elgin High School. Certamen, a Latin word meaning “contest,” encompasses three sectional-level quiz-bowl type competitions with questions drawn from Latin language, Roman culture, art and history.
Northwestern graduate Mina Marien has been an associate teacher at Baker’s Latin department since January 2006 and most recently taught a seventh grade Latin class. In addition, Marien co-teaches two after-school classes in etymology and classical mythology with Baker’s lead teacher, Alexandra Vastardis, who is herself a Northwestern B.A. 2005, M.S.Ed. 2006 alumna. Additionally, Northwestern graduate Colleen Kron has been working with the lead teacher in a seventh grade Latin classroom.
“Baker is grateful to both of these extraordinarily talented young Classicists who have so deeply enriched our students’ Latin learning and enhanced the quality of the Baker Latin program,” said Deidre Harrison, Baker Demonstration School admissions director.
Northwestern University’s relationship with Wilmette-based Baker Demonstration School may qualify NU faculty and staff children for school-age tuition discounts at the school. Contact the school admissions at http://www.bakerdemschool.org/admissions/admissions.htm for more information.
Thomas Beasley (major, '05), winner of the Frank N. & Lee L. Corbin Prize presented to an outstanding senior planning to attend graduate or professional school, is currently in the Ph.D. Program in Classics at Yale University.
Pete Gikas (major, '05), who graduated with departmental honors, is currently in his second year of medical school at the University of Illinois. His older cousin (also named Pete Gikas), has recently opened a Greek-style fast food restaurant, the Golden Greek, located in the Evanston area.
Sailakshmi Ramgopal (major, '06), was awarded the Joseph Clyde Murley Prize for Excellence in Honors Thesis Research while at Northwestern and her thesis was selected for presentation at the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. After graduating, she attended the Post-Baccalaureate Program in Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Lakshmi began her study in the Ph.D. Program in the Ancient Mediterranean World, University of Chicago, in fall 2007.
Alexandra M. Vastardis (major Art History, minor Classics '05), was awarded the Joseph Clyde Murley Prize for Outstanding Senior in Classics while at Northwestern. She earned the M.S. Ed. degree in Latin Education also from Northwestern. Alexandra is currently the main Middle School Latin Teacher at Baker Demonstration School in Wilmette, Illinois.
Janie Zuber (major, '98), former Latin instructor in the Department of Classics, is currently in medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans.
