One of the reasons why Pompeii has so fascinated people since its discovery is the insight it offers into life as people were living it in antiquity, when sudden fiery disaster carbonized them in various states of activity and repose. Fire destroyed a similar site in eastern England, this one preserved by water, which has been excavated and dubbed “The Pompeii of Petersborough.” The New Yorker online edition is currently featuring an article by Charlotte Higgins (who has a degree in Classics from Oxford and is the Guardian’s chief culture writer) about the excavation: “Footprints, Size 10, from Britain’s Bronze Age.” Read about how Britain’s Bronze Age compares to the Greco-Roman Mediterranean’s and what is emerging in Petersborough by clicking here.

A cloudy, chilly start to Trinity College graduation ceremonies on Sunday, May 20, did nothing to

Grad 2016 Sign

quell the enthusiasm of students, parents, relatives, faculty, and staff who had gathered to send off yet another class of newly-minted Trinity alumni. The sky cleared just as President Joanne Berger-Sweeney was giving her charge to the graduates, and a bright, warm sun shone on the traditional “tent city” on the lawn below the Chapel, where everyone gathered to celebrate and say good-byes.

Jami Cogswell

Darcy Cogswell

This year Classics majors took the two top spots in the class: valedictorian Jami Cogswell (who also graduated with honors in Classics) and her sister salutatorian Darcy Cogswell garnered the top GPAs in the Class of 2016. They looked splendid in their Eta Sigma Phi swag — yellow and purple cords and a gold sash — and their valedictorian and salutatorian sashes. WFSB, the local CBS affiliate, ran a story on Jami and Darcy.

Besides Jami, three other Classics majors took honors in Classics: Dimitri Adamidis, Kate Giddens, and Julia (“Cheeky”) Herr. Jessica Rudman (who wrote an amazing senior seminar paper but didn’t do a year-long thesis, and so wasn’t eligible for honors; the same was the case with Darcy) also graduated with a BA in Classics.

For Jami, summer plans include teaching at a rock-climbing school, with a year off before applying to grad school in Classics; Darcy, who loves the sea, will be off sailing. Dimitri is starting a post-bac program at the University of Connecticut before dental school; Jessica will be studying dentistry at the UConn. Cheeky’s looking for work in New York City, while Kate, who plans on attending medical school, will take a CPR course and then is off for a year teaching English in Denmark.

Julia (“Cheeky”) Herr

Kate Giddens

Dimitri Adamidis

Jessica Rudman

Everyone in the Classics Department joins in congratulating our 2016 graduates. We are very proud of them and wish them the very best in their future endeavors — about which we hope they will keep us informed!

In the meantime, though, we wish them all a happy, relaxing summer. They’ve earned some downtime after four years of hard work and remarkable accomplishments!

Crowds at Tent City

Ally MacIntosh, Classics BA 2013,  just completed her MA at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. In a recent video she explains why she studied, and loves, Classics. Have a look!

← Ally as an undergraduate at Trinity!

Dylan Ingram

Matt Reichelt

Darcy Cogswell

Mary Bennewitz

Jami Cogswell

Lydia Herndon

Kelcie Finn

Friday, May 6, 2016, at its annual Honors Days, Trinity College celebrated students receiving honors and awards. Seven current Classics majors, including two seniors, one junior, three sophomores, and one first-year, received awards and honors, Jami Cogswell, ’16, shared the College’s highest award, the Trustee Award for Student Excellence and also picked up the James Goodwin Greek Prize, which she shared with Matt Reichelt, ’17. Darcy Cogswell, ’16, and Lydia Herndon, ’18, shared the Melvin W. Title Latin Prize. Dylan Ingram, ’18, won the Rev. Paul H. Barbour Prize in Greek; Kelcie Finn, ’18, received the James A. Notopoulos Latin Prize; and Mary Bennewitz, ’19, won the John C. Williams Prize in Greek. In addition, Darcy took from the History Department the George B. Cooper Prize in British History.

The Classics Department at Trinity College is delighted to celebrate and honor the academic excellence of its majors, and we congratulate each on his/her accomplishments!

Sally Steponkus, Classics major and Trinity graduate 1998, runs a design firm called Sally Steponkus Interiors. Her designs were featured in a recent issue of the Style section of the Washington Post! (The cover’s below.) On her website she writes: “A semester in Rome, Italy inspired her love of Classical Art and Architecture, from which she draws much of her design style. She describes her work as updated traditional – classic with a unique twist.”

Where in the world will Classics take you?

Three Classics majors — Maura Griffith, Dylan Ingram, and Matt Reichelt — have won prestigious Trinity College Research fellowships for work they will be doing during the summer. Read all about it in the most recent issue of the Trinity Tripod!

So you love Latin? You’ve been taking it ever since you got to college — and maybe in high school, too. As Commencement approaches, perhaps the fear is mounting: What will I do when I can’t do Latin anymore?

Never fear! March 7-11 is National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week! High schools are looking for dedicated lovers of Latin to introduce the next generation of students to the joys of learning the language of Vergil and Livy. You can share your own love of Latin and get paid to do it!

You can find information and links, including job postings, on the website of the National Committee for Latin and Greek.

Stephanie Horbaczewski graduated from Trinity College in 2000 with a BA in Classical Civilization. A few years later she founded StyleHaul and got into social storytelling. Last year a European company bought StyleHaul for more than $100 million. Read all about Stephanie’s career and her advice on social storytelling in a recent issue of Fast Company.

Where will your Classics degree take you?