Major(s): Classical languages, classics and religious studies
Year in school: Senior
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Why did you select your majors? Were there any experiences that convinced you to declare?
Truthfully, I found the classics department on accident. I took a course to fulfill a course requirement in my freshman year. I liked the professor so I took another of his courses the next semester to fill a different requirement. Over that year I had made some friends in those classes and they had decided to take Ancient Greek the next fall and convinced me to finish my language requirement with Greek. That was when Dr. Loar told me if I took Greek to fill my language credit I was already halfway to completing the degree and I left his office that day as a Classics major.
What is your favorite course you have taken from your programs and why?
Before my freshman year began, I attended a late orientation date. This meant that the classes I had to choose from for my electives were limited. When I couldn't get into Classical Myth, I decided to take a class that sounded similar, titled: "World of Classical Greece."
This class turned out to be a classics course on the ancient Athenian democracy taught by Dr. Lippman. Not only did it cover the history of the Athenian democracy, but the class itself was run as if it were the Athenian democracy. On the first day of class, we were informed that we were able to change anything on the syllabus that we'd like as long as we were still providing a realistic and fair way to be graded. In order to make a change to the syllabus, we had to write a proposal, present it to the class, and pass it with a majority vote. Not only was this a totally original way to run a class but this class was simultaneously occurring with the 2016 presidential election.
We were able to discuss aspects of ancient democracy in class and then watch the presidential debates and see the themes echoed in today's politics. While an aspect of modern politics was included, the information was presented so politically neutral that the students were unable to tell the political alignment of the professor.
As a first time voter, I felt as if I went into that election highly informed about my decision. To this day it is the most beneficial class in my everyday life and it opened the door to the classics department for me.
Who have been some of your strongest mentors or role models here?
I've had a bunch of incredible experiences in my time at UNL and most of them would not have been possible without Dr. Lippman. I also would not be a classics major if it were not for Dr. Loar. In a matter of an afternoon, he had answered all of my questions and convinced me that majoring in classics would be an asset to my future career.
What has your UCARE research experience been like?
I have been very lucky with opportunities to participate in undergraduate research here at UNL. I have participated in three different UCARE projects for Dr. Lippman.
In my junior year, I had the opportunity to lead the second annual Homerathon with my friend Brooke Mott. Homerathon provided me with tangible event planning experience and allowed me to connect with local businesses such as The Mill and The Parthenon, connect with local organizations for Nebraska veterans, practice leading committees, and create a large scale event budget.
Last year I also had the opportunity to work with a team of other UNL students to pilot a tool kit created by the scholars at the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama (APGRD) to create an interactive ebook. We decided that our ebook would compile a history of performances of Sophocles' Antigone. Through this project in the Summer of 2019, I was able to travel to Oxford to do archival research in the APGRD.
For the 2019-2020 school year, I have been working closely with Dr. Lippman on the online journal Didaskalia. Over the summer of 2019, I had to teach myself HTML coding in order to be ready to help produce issue 15 of Didaskalia. For this project, I took articles that were submitted for publication and turned them into webpages on the Didaskalia site.
Have you had an internship at UNL?
Along with my UCARE projects, this year I was an intern with the College of Arts and Sciences Marketing and Communications department.
What was your study abroad experience like?
In the summer of 2018, I went on the Classics study abroad trip to Greece. This trip was an intense three week trip all over the Greek mainland and Islands with all of my peers. It was one of the most fun experiences I have had in all of college. The following summer I traveled with the ebook team to Oxford, England to work in the APGRD.
What are you involved in on campus?
I am heavily involved in the classics department. In the 2018-2019 school year, I was president of the Classics Club. I also was the president of UNL's chapter of Eta Sigma Phi Classical Language's Honor Society from January 2019 to January 2020.
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I will begin my career at Omaha National Insurance.
