Alumni Updates: Class Years 1990-99
Archive
Below are archived updates for alumni graduating between 1990 and 1999. Visit the main Alumni Updates page for more updates received this year.
Kelly Brown Dunne ’91 (Classical Studies): I am a faculty member at George Mason University, currently serving as the executive director of the School of Integrative Studies. I was greatly influenced by my Classical Studies professors -- Dr. Burns, Dr. Jones, Dr. Baron, and Dr. Reilly -- and credit them for setting me on a path to a career in higher education.” (3/22)
Phil Walsh, ’99 (Classical Studies) reports that his book, Brill's Companion to the Reception of Aristophanes, was published recently. It includes seventeen chapters on various aspects of the ancient and modern reception of Aristophanes. A lot of his talk at Homecoming 2014 here at W&M made it into the preface of the book. Also, he notes that he recently accepted a teaching position at St. Andrew's School in Middletown, DE, where he will be teaching in the Classics Department. Finally, he led a group of 12 Washington College students on a study abroad experience in Greece for 15 days last summer, visiting all the major sites. He reports: “It was a highlight of my career, and the students had an amazing time.” (8/16). Update 2/28/22: Phil has recently been appointed as editor of Classical Outlook, the official journal of the American Classical League. Follow this link to read about Phil and his appointment.
Peter Larson '95 (Classics-Latin and History): "I have been named as chair of the Department of History, University of Central Florida, where I am currently Associate Professor of medieval and British history." 5/17
Sandra Smith '94 (Classical Civilization): "I am currently the founding director of a National Trust Historic Site in San Antonio. I worked in several different capacities after graduation and then eventually got my MA in Museum Studies. I've been with the National Trust for eleven years and my classical studies degree has been useful in so many ways." (7/11).
Sarah (Smart) Warburton '94 (Classical Studies: Latin): "is the author of the debut thriller, Once Two Sisters, published September 2020 by Crooked Lane Books and recommended by Publishers Weekly, PopSugar, and CrimeReads. She's the oldest of four sisters, raised in Virginia, an avid reader and knitter. After earning a B. A. in Latin from the College of William and Mary, an M.A. in Classics from the University of Georgia and another from Brown University, she studied creative writing at the University of New Mexico, at the Taos Writer's Workshop, and in Houston with Justin Cronin. She worked at independent bookstores and spent ten years as a writer (and eventually lead editor) for UpClose Magazine. Her short story, "Margaret's Magnolia," appeared in the Southern Arts Journal and her Pushcart prize nominated story "Survival English" appeared in Oyster River Pages. She lives in the mountains of Southwest Virginia with her family." (10/20)
Ben Goodman '96 is in New York City at a large law firm where he occasionally dazzles his colleagues by translating Latin legalese. (2/09)
Caroline Ferro '90 writes: "I went to Law School at the University of Mississippi, received my JD in 1993, and married a fellow law student, Paul. For the last 13 years, I have lived in the Nashville area. I am an attorney with the IRS. After using my lexicon daily in college, I am completely comfortable with the tax code and transcript deciphering books. I have four sons, Paul (9), Xander (7), Peter (4) and David (10 months). Needless to say, things are a bit hectic around here. My spare time is spent taking boys to sports practices, primarily reading, occasionally writing, and lately, becoming extremely proficient in Webkinz computer games. I thought about Greek the other day because my little guy started pulling all the books off the shelves, starting with Menander's Dyskolos. Although I don't use my studies in any meaningful way, I can at least still translate the Benetton Odyssey t-shirt that I bought back in 1988 (which I still wear to the gym on occasion). I also still have the faux artifacts I bought on my trip to Greece in 1990 on my mantle and a Schliemann gold poster in my workout room. So, although classical studies are far in the past, they are not entirely forgotten. Every time I see a field of rubble, I am reminded of Professor Reilly's Greek Art and Archeology class. Most of my classes were taught by Prof. Ledbetter and Reilly. I'm looking forward to hearing about other alums. FYI...the only thing that results in a longer dead silence than "I am majoring in Ancient Greek" is the sentence "I am an attorney for the IRS." (2/09)
Jennifer Schlegel '90 earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology from UCLA and is working as an adjunct professor of Anthropology at a host of colleges in southeastern Pennsylvania. She scratched the classical archaeology itch in 1994 with a month-long stint at a Hellenistic cite in southern Italy and is now most comfortable in a classroom as a linguistic anthropologist. Jen and Drew Geary, her William and Mary sweetheart, have been married for fourteen years and are the parents of two fantastically wonderful girls. (2/09)
Ashley (aka "Miss Quarles") Tarter '97 has settled in Williamsburg with her husband Sean '96 and their almost-4 year-old son, Timothy. (2/09)
Phil Walsh '99 (Greek) finished his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Brown University in May 2008. His dissertation, "Comedy and Conflict: The Modern Reception of Aristophanes," was awarded the Marie J. Langlois Dissertation Prize (for outstanding work in the area of feminist studies). He is now teaching English and Latin at Washington College in Chestertown, MD. (2/09)
Kelly Brown Dunne '91 (Classical Civilization) is living in Arlington, VA, with her husband Sebastian Dunne (‘91) and their son Emmett Brady, who is 5 and just began kindergarten. She teaches interdisciplinary courses at George Mason University, where she is the Director of Academic Affairs for New Century College. She also has the pleasure of taking students on study abroad trips to Ireland each year to study its history and culture. (2/08)
Rachel Russo '98 was married in May to Stephen Spence from Raleigh, NC. They were brought together by a mutual interest in the classics - their first discussion was a debate over the nature of tyrants in Imperial Rome. They are currently living in Williamsburg and planning a trip to Italy, Greece, and Turkey this spring. (2/08)
Sandra Smith '94 (Classical Civilization) has been with the National Trust for Historic Preservation for nearly 8 years, after having received an MA in Museum Studies. She is now the director of a National Trust Historic Site in San Antonio TX and is preparing for its opening to the public in 2008. (2/08)
