The Classical Studies Program event "Odyssey LIVE!" took place on March 19, 2009. Over 200 people attended during the course of the fifteen-hour-long reading of Homer's epic poem. Students and faculty from across the University performed starting at 8:00 a.m. The East Carolinian covered the event. Read the story here. Photographs of the event are on the Classics archive page.
John Stevens has stepped down as Director of Classical Studies. He is succeeded by Prof. John Given of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Prof. Given is a professor of Ancient Greek who has been with the department and program for 7 years. He specializes in Drama and Philosophy of the fifth century BC. He and Prof. Stevens are teaching a senior seminar on ancient philosophical literature this spring. On the news of the appointment of Prof. Given by Dean White, see the story in the East Carolinian.
Graduates, Spring 2008
Left, Perry McKenzie (BA Classical Civlization) plans to begin a Master's program in Historical Preservation at UNC Greensboro. Center, Lee Bradbury (BA Classics) is applying to MFA programs in writing. Right, Thomas Taylor, named Outstanding Senior by the Classics faculty, will be applying to PhD programs in Classics next year.
Graduates, Fall 2007:
Chris Wilms (left, BA Classical Civilization) plans to attend law school in the fall and has been admitted to one of his choices already. Will Canterbury (right, 2nd BA Classical Civilization) is finishing his thesis on depictions of phalloi in classical antiquity and plans to apply to Masters programs in history next fall.
In Memoriam
Dr. Eugene Edward Ryan, Professor Emeritus, 79, died Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006. A native of Chicago, Dr. Ryan received his Ph.D. from Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. In 1968 he began his career at East Carolina University in the Philosophy Department, where he served as Department Chair and later served as the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. Along with Dr. Papalas, he was one of the founding members of the Classical Studies Program. A scholar of the Renaissance Aristotelian Commentator Francesco Patrizi da Cherso he established an academic collaboration between East Carolina University and the University of Ferrara in Ferrara, Italy. He retired in 2002.
Alumni Updates:
Callie Dellano (Classical Civilization, 2004) has returned to Greenville. She works as a realtor and broker for Aldridge and Southerland Realtors.
Lisa Wilbourne completed her Master's degree at the University of Iowa. After teaching at the Raleigh Latin School, she has accepted a full-time position teaching Latin at Greenville's Oakwood School. She begins in the fall of 2009. She will be replacing Dr. John Stevens, who got the Latin program at Oakwood off the ground while continuing his appointment as Associate Professor of Classics at ECU.
Perry McKenzie is working on a Master's degree in Historic Preservation at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. For Summer 2009, she received an internship with Drayton Hall in Charleston, South Carolina. While at ECU, Perry was recognized with a "Pirate Profile" (pictured) for her remarkable achievement of completing a double major in History and MULT: Classical Civilization in only 3 years. She was a member of both Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society and Phi Sigma Iota Foreign Language Honor Society.
Amanda Lupton Moss (Classics minor 2007) sends word that she is teaching Latin at East Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia. She is responsible for seeing students through three levels of Latin. Amanda lives outside Atlanta with her husband and her one-year-old son Isaac.
Michelle Brown (Classics minor 2008) writes that her Master's degree in Englightenment Studies at the University of Edinburgh has given her the opportunity to travel to the highlands, Loch Ness, and the Isle of Skye. To her parents' dismay, she says she feels as if she has found her true home. (11/08)
Steve Bivans (MA History 2006) is working on a graduate degree in Medieval History at the University of Minnesota: "I am currently working on my master's thesis, which is a translation of two ninth century Carolingian texts: the Annals of Xanten and the Annals of St. Vaast. Both deal with the turbulent period of Viking attacks, as well as the internal politics and ecclesiastical issues of ninth century Francia. The translation will be heavily annotated with a full introduction to the texts as well as historical background. This project will be of help to my dissertation topic on Viking Warfare, and hopefully be publishable. I have already begun on the dissertation as well. Last semester I wrote what will probably be chapter one, on the Vendel period or pre-Viking period in Scandinavia. My advisor, Dr. Bernard Bachrach, is one of the leading experts on medieval military history and our research methodologies are very similar. He places a heavy emphasis on foreign language skills, which have been lacking somewhat in the past 20 years or so in the history profession. This past semester I was a TA for the Late Medieval History course, taught by Dr. Michael Lower, a young professor from Toronto and Cambridge. I also TA'd for Dr. Bachrach's course on Medieval Military History. At the same time, I took graduate courses with both of them: Lower's Crusade course and Bachrach's course on Late Rome/Early Middle Ages. In Lower's class I wrote a paper on naval operations and technology during the Crusades. This coming fall semester, which begins on September 2nd, I will be TA'ing for Dr. Ruth Karras' course on the first half of British history. I will also be taking her graduate course on Gender in the Middle Ages, as well as Peter Wells' course on the Archaeology of Britain." (8/08)
Steve Hill continues teaching world history at Rose High, where he entertains students with blood-curdling tales of his murders in the Roman forum. Despite our repeated admonitions that SPQR does not stand for "Slaughter Pleading Quaking Roman" tour-guides, Steve's exploits abroad continue to strain American-Italian relations.
Giving to Classical Studies:
If you would like to make a donation to support the study of Classics, there is an online form you can use. Under "Area to Apply Gift", select "Other"; skip "Fund"; under "Other Area", type "Program in Classical Studies". There is also a printable mail-in form. Any amount you choose to give will help us create awards, scholarships, and travel abroad opportunities for students who plan to teach Latin or pursue advanced degrees in Classics. And thank you!
Alumni Updates:
If you have news to share or would just like to stay in touch, drop us a line:
