Alumni Share Their Experience at UW
Bel Cairns
Coming into university, I had never even heard of Classical studies. I started my degree in Mathematical Physics, but quickly discovered that it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing. While I was trying to figure out what to do next, I decided to sign up for an Ancient Greek language course. I loved it, and switched into Classics the next term.
Something that I really appreciated was how supportive the community was on every level. I want to especially shout out Brigitte Schneebeli, the Classical Studies Office Manager, who consistently goes above and beyond to make the community the vibrant place it is. Because it is a smaller program, there’s a great opportunity to get to know your professors and classmates really well. I spent a lot of time hanging out with classmates in the Classical Studies lounge, which is a dedicated space for undergraduates in Classical studies. I also appreciated opportunities to get to know everyone in the department in less formal contexts: Trivia nights organized by the consuls (leaders of our undergraduate association), “Ti Anthropos” discussions and the annual “Wine and Cheese” night especially come to mind. These kinds of events came out of a remarkable level of energy and enthusiasm, and recognition that a good university experience needs to come from more than just academics.
At the same time, as someone who decided to continue on to graduate studies, the academic side was an important part of my experience. Starting a PhD directly from my undergrad, I’ve felt really well prepared by my experience at UW. In particular, my training in Ancient Greek and Latin have given me a really important basis for my continuing studies. Additionally, the fourth-year seminar courses, which included both undergrad and masters students, were a great opportunity to develop research and presentation skills that have prepared me well for graduate seminar classes. The integration between masters and undergrad students was a special part of UW classics. I benefitted a lot from the mentorship of masters students I got to know as TAs and later classmates. Mojdeh Shahidi in particular inspired me with her scholarship, and offered a lot of advice and support when I needed it.
In Classical studies, I found a place where I got to study something I was really excited about. I found a community that cheered for my successes and supported me when I was struggling. It helped shape the person that I am, and the scholar that I want to be, and I will always be grateful to the people who make it the place that it is.