Meet Some of Our Students
David Ring
Classical Philology Major-Greek (with mad props to Advanced Latin 😉 ), Class of 2008
“I spent my first two years at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where my life was changed dramatically, then took a year off due to worsening health problems. For various reasons I chose to transfer after getting better, and UD always impressed me since highschool when they sent me “Latin in Rome” and “Shakespeare in Italy” brochures. The Core is pretty decent, the faculty is great, Rome is great, and the Classics and Philosophy faculty are particularly mirabile dictu. As to “why Classical Philology?”, everyone has a long story for this, but the short version is that every sensible person knows that the best words and deeds happened in antiquity! Mgdsggfdsgfsdggfdgffdf
y Rubicon-crossing was in 10th grade when I read the proem to the Aeneid in Latin II and realized the evil of translation and inferred that the same must be true of my beloved Lattimore’s Homer. So I tried to teach myself Homeric Greek and continued with AP Vergil and Catullus/Horace and did dual enrollment with Cicero and Livy and the rest is history… Reading Plato’s Meno in Greek as a Freshman, and Iliad XXIV as a Sophomore only solidified my conviction that everything went down hill after the 4th Century B.C. (One could even say “after Homer”). 😉 ”
Hometown Jacksonville, FL
Eunice Christian Private School (homeschool-private school)
Topics of Interest: Classics is gargantuan and everything in it is vastly important and fascinating, but my specialization will almost certainly be in Ancient Philosophy and its medieval commentators, Homer, and perhaps Greek Tragedy (although oratory is hard not to fall in love with). I’d also like to be one of the Quixotic revivers of the study of Greek mathematics such as Euclid, Appolonius, Archimedes et alia.
Other Interests I play Blues and Rock n’ Roll guitar. I love Bach, early music, Jazz, film, and the Great Books, to name just a few others.
Hans Decker
English, concentration in Greek
“My older sister is a graduate of the UD classics program, and her love for the study of Classical languages was part of what convinced me to come to UD as well. Though I took Latin in high school, I decided to go with Greek when I got to UD. I assured myself, however, that I wouldn’t take more than two years, and that I would definitely not take a class in Homer. I am now happily enrolled in my third year of Greek, taking Homer, and enjoying it immensely. The quality of the program here, the enthusiasm of the professors, and the excitement of learning the classical languages have enthralled me, and my only regret is that I won’t have time to fit in a few years of Latin as well.
Hometown Hood River, Oregon.
Homeschooled/ISLAS (On-line tutorial)
Other interests: I love literature, poetry, music (playing, singing, and listening!), as well as medieval history, literature, and languages. In addition to that, I love swing dancing, acting, and theology.
Mary Sexton
English, concentration in Latin, Class of 2009
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Nolan Catholic
“UD was a gift from God. No joke. In Rome I have seen two pieces of modern-day graffiti in Latin, which amaze me (DUX MEA LUX and USQUE AD FINEM). If you are Catholic and a Classicist you should read St. Thomas Aquinas’ Eucharistic hymns in Latin–they are beautiful & will give you a deeper understanding of the Sacrament. ”
Topic of Interest I like being able to follow Latin Mass and read prayers and things like St. Augustine’s Confessions in Latin.
Other interests Italian, French, the saints, knitting, soccer, calligraphy.
Shelby Smith
Art History, concentration in Latin, Class of 2009
“I wanted a small setting where I could get individual attention from my professors, and actually be taught by the professors, and not by a teaching assistant. The Rome program was also a big part of my decision to attend UD. The core curriculum was more flexible than at other universities, too. With the strong academics and small class sizes, you get a lot more out of the courses.”
Hometown Houston, Texas
Carnegie Vanguard H.S.
Topic of interest: Latin and classical mythology
Other interests: Literature, singing, mostly (and then things like the mall or the movies when it’s time to goof off).
Andrew Bach
Philosophy, concentration in Classics, Class of 2009
“I chose UD because of the unparalleled Core Curriculum as well as the excellent Classics department. The Rome semester was also a very important part of my decision. I am leaning towards majoring in Classics because I think that it helps one to think critically and to study broad subjects within one (i.e. translating philosophy, literature, history from the original Latin and Greek).”
Hometown Walton, KY
Covington Latin School
Topic of interest: “I’m only in my second Latin class at UD and have not yet taken any Greek, so I reckon I have to say Latin…? My favorite author, from my high school Latin, is Vergil.”
Other interests: Ultimate Frisbee, Intramural Football and Basketball, reading books outside of the Core–if there is time. Haha. Talking about random topics.
Timothy Dean
Classical philology major, concentrating in Math and Computer Science, Class of 2009
“I chose UD for two reasons. It is full of delightfully weird people, and it has one of the best Classics departments in the country. With eleven years of Latin and five of Greek under my belt, I founder the latter very appealing; as a delightfully weird person myself, I appreciated the former.”
Hometown Pella, Iowa
Homeschooled
Topic of interest: Philology. The languages themselves are really amazing, as well as the worldviews behind them.
Other interests: I’ve played piano for twelve years. I enjoy long-distance running, I adore Ultimate Frisbee, I study strategy for fun, and Tolkien has been my hero since I was seven years old. I find computers and math fascinating, and I hope to go to graduate school to study computer science.
Bernerd Schaefer
Classical Philology–Latin and Greek, Class of 2009
“I chose UD and this major because their Classics program is rigorous in the classical languages. That –along with the Core, excellent professors, and (of course) good scholarships — made UD an easy choice for me. ”
Hometown Trophy Club, TX
Coram Deo Academy
Topics of Interest:My primary interest in Classics lies in Classical Rhetoric and the Greco-Roman orators. However my horizons have been broadened by taking the classes I have in Classics: I could not help but fall in love with Latin poetry such as that of Propertius, or Greek philosophy such as Plato, and I look forward to falling in love with many other
authors which I have never yet read.
Other Interests: I am a self-employed programmer who builds database-driven web applications, and I cherish listening to Bach and playing his pieces on Classical Guitar.
Bill Farris
Classical Philology major, concentration in Music, Class of 2010
Hometown Wichita Falls, TX
Notre Dame Catholic High School
“My high school Latin teacher encouraged me to study Latin in college, and she said UD has a Classics program, which it does.”
Other Interests I did theatre a lot in high school. I also play music. I’m in Collegium Cantorum here at UD, and that is a lot of fun. I play bass guitar for musicals during the summer in my home town.
Kathleen Moore
Classics and Philosophy double major, Class of 2010
Hometown: Asheville, NC
Veritas Christian Academy
“How I chose UD: I went on the Latin in Rome trip in the summer of 2005. At the time, it was
no more than a summer program. When I was there, I met Dr. Davies, Dr. Maurer, five
graduates of 2005, and one current student. After spending three weeks with them, I knew
that UD was the place with the kind of people I wanted to spend the next four years learning
from and with. I arrived on campus the next fall and have been at home here ever since. UD
is full of amazing people who honestly care about one another. When someone jokingly
refers to something from Philosophy and the Ethical Life and the whole room laughs, you
know you’ve found a home.”
Favorite Maurer Quote: As hard as it is to pick one, I think I’m going to go with “No country
without a great poet is to be considered in the assembly of nations. This includes
Switzerland. Chocolate and banks just aren’t enough.”
Favorite Quote: “Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit.” -Oscar Wilde
Topic of Interest Well, Virgil is simply amazing to me. I could be biased because I have read The Aeneid more thoroughly than many other authors, though.
Other Interests I love playing volleyball and am playing intramural here at UD. I also really enjoy art/photography, music, and baking.
Robert Landreaux
Classical philology major, Class of 2011
“My high school offered both Latin and Greek. I started Latin my 8th grade year and Greek as a freshman. Ever since then I could not imagine continuing in college without two languages I absolutely love.
I chose to come to UD because of the rich Catholic environment, the comfortable size, wonderful classics department, and marvelous people.”
Hometown New Orleans, Louisiana
Jesuit High School
Topics of Interest Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Vergil’s Aeneid, Cicero, Horace, Herodotus, Xenophon, Solon, etc…
Other Interests I play the guitar and the piano. I’m a freshman class representative. If I do not become a Classics professor someday, I aspire to be some combination of a barista, a ski-bum, a jazz-guitarist, and a cab-driver.
Kaitlyn Willy
Classical philology major, Class of 2011
“I have been interested in language since I was a small child. I started learning Spanish at the
age of five. In high school, I took four years of Spanish and one year of Latin, though I would
have loved to take more. I have also studied some Welsh, but have retained very little of it.
When looking at colleges, it really came down to UD and Benedictine in Atchison. I ended up
choosing UD because of the strong academics and the core. I have since discovered that it
was the best choice I could have made. I love UD because of the amazing academics and the
wonderful people that you meet here.”
Hometown Rolla, Missouri
Rolla Senior High School
Topics of Interest: Historical Linguistics, Homer’s epics, original church documents, anything
written in ancient languages, etc. Primarily Latin, but I am quickly falling in love with Greek,
even though it is the most difficult topic that I have ever studied.
Other Interests Calligraphy, Literature, American History, Language& I love to watch movies,
especially old Vincent Price movies. It is my goal to learn how to speak and read Arabic. I am
very fond of Edgar Allan Poe, but Tolkien is my favorite author (he was also a philologist).
Favorite Quotes:
“Those who dream by day are cognizant of things that escape those who dream only by
night.” -E.A. Poe
“Literature is the most noble of professions. In fact, it is about the only one fit for a man. For
my own part, there is no seducing me from the path.” -E.A. Poe
Carrie Knorr
Classics major, Class of 2010
“I chose UD classics without having any background in Latin or Greek, but I thought to myself “delenda Cathargo est”, you know? I really think that phrase encapsulates everything I love about classics and how I handle translating.”
Hometown Chicago, Illinois
Favorite Quote “This is Sparta!!” -300
Topics of Interest ancient history and linguistics, finding unique passages (like the catalogue of ships in the Iliad), and transhumance in ancient Samnium.
Other Interests I love all movies made before 1960, Battle Star Gallactica, swing dancing, Christian rock music, and bow hunting on my uncle’s property.
Recent Graduates
Elizabeth Malone
Classical Philology (Latin) and English double major, Class of 2008
“I attended Latin in Rome after my senior year of high school and was introduced to the world of the UD Classics program, with its professors like nowhere else. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend four years studying Classics here and an entire semester studying in Rome. In the larger picture, UD’s Catholic character really appealed to me, and because it spans so many disciplines (including all of my favorite subjects), the core curriculum was also a big draw. I’ve always enjoyed languages, literature, and playing with words. An English and Classics combination gives me more experience and a stronger foundation in both areas – plus, I don’t want to choose between them!”
Hometown Edgewood, New Mexico
Homeschooled/ISLAS
Topic of Interest: Latin poetry and more Latin poetry (Virgil, Propertius, Horace…). Also, I first really learned English grammar through Latin, and Latin’s relation to English and other languages has always interested me.
Other interests: Latin reading group, Italian, reading books that aren’t for class, travel, New Mexican food, surviving — I mean savoring — senior year. 😉
Mary Catherine Ferguson
English and Classical Philology-Latin, Class of 2007
“My dad went to UD for his MBA, so my family has known about UD for a long time. I chose UD after attending Shakespeare in Italy, and I chose a Classical Philology major after taking several Latin classes and seeing the stellar quality of the Classics professors here.”
Hometown Irving, TX
St. Therese Academy
Topic of interest: mythology
Other interests: Collegium Cantorum, piano, swing dancing, knitting, poetry
Sarah Honeycutt
English major, concentration in Greek, Class of 2007
“I chose UD because of the Rome program and because of the Core Curriculum. Both were just as amazing as I expected. My freshman core classes exposed me to all of my options, and the Rome program was the perfect environment to discover which one I loved. I chose a major in English and a concentration in Greek. Translating work is a nice change of pace from pure reading work, and the material is a great complement to my English studies.”
Hometown Guyton, GA
Lorena High School
Topic of interest: Plato’s dialogues
Other interests: Any outdoor fun, such as biking, jogging, rollerblading, or kayaking. Occasionally I will play my flute (Christmas songs are my favorite!). I also tutor at local elementary schools, and I especially enjoy planning crafts for the kids.
Mary Pawlowski
Classical philology major–Latin, Class of 2007
“I attended Latin in Rome in the summer of 2002, and all of the sudden, where once I had felt like an alien in high school because of my delight in reading the ODYSSEY or because I defended a ‘dead’ language like Latin, other people found these things equally delightful and fresh. Naturally, I ended up at UD after that. I’m a Classical Philology major despite the fact that for two years I wanted equally to study Chemistry in depth. When you like something enough, you either have to wait until science enables us to be split into two entities (which won’t happen, of course), or else order the bigger love over the lesser or else see, not what you want, but what the world needs of you at the present moment.”
Hometown Erie, Pennsylvania
Villa Maria Academy
Topic of Interest: I took the class “Roman Republic/Roman Empire” , which re-awakened me to an interest in Roman political life and the glory days of the Roman republic. I think we can learn from a study of its history.
Other interests: I’ve played the flute for 7 years now, in various gigs; I like to play tennis and wiffle ball too. The craziest thing I did recently was bike to a retreat house where I was staying for a week, 50 miles from my house.
Scott Laverick
Classical philology major-Greek, Class of 2007
“I have been raised in the classical tradition – UD was a natural extension of that. Moreover, I have always loved languages, especially Latin and Greek, and would love to be able to read the great works in their original languages. Besides, Classics spans virtually every major study – Literature, Philosophy, Mathematics, and Science.”
Hometown Overland Park, KS (Kansas City)
Whitefield Christian School, Isocrates Homeschool, Johnson County Community College
Topic of interest: I love Plato, but more than anything else, I love philology and linguistics. The variations in forms are just amazing to me.
Sasha Decker
Classical Philology major, Class of 2006
“I chose UD for several reasons. It has a first-rate Classics program, which was very important to me. Also, after participating in a UD summer program in Rome, I was very eager to return to Rome for a semester! I also appreciate the environment at UD — academic, conservative, friendly, and fun in a unique way!”
Hometown Hood River, Oregon
Home schooled/ISLAS (on-line tutorial)
Topic of interest: I love Latin poetry — Horace, Vergil, Catullus, Propertius, Ovid, and anyone else I can lay my hands on. I’ll be writing my thesis about Catullus 64.
Other interests: As a fully-fledged nerd, I read widely and enjoy everything from 16th century English poetry to modern sci-fi novels. I’m a musical theatre fan, and I like listening to diverse sorts of music (Celtic rock is a favorite). I also play the piano and harp.
Lionel Yaceczko
Graduated with a Classics major in 2005
“When I was in high school, I was terrible at Latin. I actually never passed the proficiency test at my school to take second year Latin. I think I received a “D” for first-year Latin. Somehow, my teacher in second-year Latin talked me into taking the National Latin Exam, and somehow (even more out of character for me) I was awarded a gold medal for my score. With that award came something eventually more valuable: an information packet from UD. I came to visit, took a Latin test (strangely, my Latin has been quite good since that inexplicable test five years ago…), won scholarship money from the Classics Department and so on. I only applied to one school. I had chosen my major, also years before I had to, during my freshman year of high school. Not that a serious student could by any means resist the magnetic genious of our Classics faculty here (if an insider’s opinion can be trusted). Non-majors around campus sing their praises as enthusiastically, if not even more so.”
Hometown Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls High School
Topic of interest: I really love reading Horace’s Odes, and Virgil’s Eclogues and Georgics, which never fail to evoke wondering thought. In my first Latin class here, I remember Dr. Maurer talking about how, “the text opens up. You’ll be plunged immediately into meditation”.
Tyler Thomas Travillian
Currently a graduate student of the Classical Studies program at Boston University
Graduated with a Classics major in Greek and Latin 2005
“Latin was always a passion of mine throughout high school, and the Classics department I found at UD was perfect for me: a wide variety of professors in a small setting.”
Hometown Marietta, GA
Harrison High School
Topic of interest: Mythology
To read Tyler’s translation of Pindar’s Isthmian 7, click here