Graduation 2014
In a festive ceremony, the Department celebrated the Class of 2014.
Professor Irby, Master of Ceremony, announced the Department's Prize Winners:
John Mulhall: William J. Hogan Award for Outstanding Achievement in Classical Studies
Gregory Callaghan: APA Award for Outstanding Student in Classical Philology
Samantha O'Neal : CAMWS Award for Outstanding Student in Classical Literature
Caroline Lower: Department of Classical Studies Award in Classical Civilization
There were the traditional shoutouts:
Greg Callaghan: “Right after graduation, I will be getting ready to spend the summer in Athens, where I will excavate at the Agora for my second season. This is fitting, as probably my favorite memory from the department is from Athens last summer. By happy coincidence, almost half of the department faculty and many students happened to be in Athens last summer, and so we all got together for a great evening at a Greek taverna. It was great to see our department getting together on a completely different continent. Upon returning from Greece, I will be moving to Philadelphia to start my PhD in Ancient History at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.”
Amanda Chan: "Although Classics had to take a backseat so Amanda could finish her other major this year, she promises that nothing will ever surpass her love of Latin and that, despite the fact that her job prospects do not currently involve her degree, the Classics will continue to be her one true love. She has loved her time in the department, from time spent slaving away over translations at 2 AM to laughing at inaccuracies in modern cinema with the Classics club."
Tony Giaccio: "For me the classics department has been both a home away from home and great source of friendship. I even met some of my best friends who are in attendance here both graduating and supporting. After graduation, I plan on pursuing Education and potentially Special Needs Education at the elementary or middle school level. The Classics department here at William and Mary has truly been a wonderful and challenging experience for me over the last four years and I would do it all over again if I had the chance.
Libby Gohn: Libby has thoroughly enjoyed serving on the board of the Classics Club and Eta Sigma Phi. After graduation, she is getting married and moving to Alexandria, Virginia to pursue a career in theater management.
Kristin Henry: Next year I will be attending the W&M post-baccalaureate program in Classics. Some of my favorite memories in the department are celebrating the end of the semester, both at Paul's Deli and the Crust. Rachel Greenfield Kristin will be continuing her education abroad with a focus in yoga and ancient Indian philosophy.
Jenny Horowitz: "After college, I plan on staying here in Williamsburg and entering the School of Education to become a history teacher. I have many fond memories of the Classics department, but the one that sticks out the most was my Latin Science class with Professor Irby. We had a party for the eclipse at her house, and her cat made friends with me. I love the Classics department because it's so small that I feel that I have actually gotten to know many of my professors."
Rachel Jordan: My plans for the future include:
• traveling back in time to smack Aeschylus in the face
• seeking employment in the field of International Education
• or social research
• or whatever I can get with B.A.s in Classics and Sociology
• or whatever I can get, period
• or lying on my couch, eating Chipotle, and reading bad fanfiction until I shrivel up like the Sibyl of Cumae [peace sign emoji]
John Mulhall has received the American Philological Association's Lionel Pearson Fellowship, which will fund his studies next year at Oxford, where he will be pursuing a Masters of Studies in Roman History. This summer, John will attend the Qasid institute in Amman, Jordan, where he will be studying Arabic. Though there are many memories of the Classics department that John holds dear, the one that must be related here dates to a few weeks ago, when the august speaker herself, Professor Panoussi, loudly and harshly demanded that I vacate the Classics library at once to make room for her class, (supposedly) not realizing that Professor Donahue himself was there as well, and that the two of us were innocently finishing our independent study of Livy. Thus were disproven the words of Vergilius, "Audentes fortuna iuvat."
Joshua Kelly: "I plan on taking this summer to go home and do some part time work, and spending my spare time writing applications for various programs I would like to participate in, including a Fulbright, the Peace Corps, and AmeriCorps. I will also be applying for a job teaching English in South Korea, and a number of other programs that will allow me to do all the traveling that I can't afford on my own, and do some good in the process."
Rebecca Lower: "I am so thankful to the faculty and staff of the Classical Studies department for making my four years at William and Mary truly memorable. Even though I lived in different places every year, I knew I always had a home on the third floor of Morton. Through this department I have learned to read Greek and Latin, a skill for which I will always be grateful, but I have also learned how to work hard and how to think which I know will serve me well no matter where I end up. It will be hard to say goodbye to this spectacular group of people who have become like a family to me, so instead I will leave you with the words of Cato the elder – Carthago delenda est!"
Reid McBride: "Although not my primary major at William and Mary, I happily stumbled upon the classics department. Professor Oakley inspired my interest in the classics starting with his Mythology in Art class early in my college career and Professor Spaeth sealed the deal during our summer study abroad trip in Rome and Pomepeii. At the opposite end of the academic spectrum from a Finance major, the Classics department has helped foster a greater appreciation for art, history, and culture."
Samantha O’Neal: Samantha was originally going to only be an anthropology major, but decided to become a double major when she took Greek civilization with Professor Hutton and was won over by his chanting of the Iliad in ancient Greek and his videos of cute hedgehogs taking baths in sinks. She finds it very difficult to pick a favorite memory, but will certainly always fondly recall Latin with professor Panoussi, reading gladiator graffiti with Professor Swetnam–Burland, spending 3 weeks in Italy with professor Spaeth and deigning to show up to classics club once a semester. Next year Samantha will be teaching middle school social studies in eastern North Carolina with Teach for America. She cannot wait to impart the fun of studying classical civilizations on her students.
Kristen Roper: "Professor Panoussi once told our Greek class: “When you’re older, you won’t remember the class or your grade, you’ll remember the stories, what they mean for us, and why they’re important… and maybe that amazing dinner I cooked for all of you.” Here we are, only two weeks after classes have ended, and I already know that she was telling the truth. I guess this is kind of like 'the gift thing,' right?"
And, of course, there was cake!
