Graduate News

Professors John Gibert and Peter Hunt congratulate new MA Nancy Greguras.

The graduate program in Classics has continued to flourish and is larger than ever before. This spring we had over forty graduate students enrolled, including five PhD students. A record twelve MA students graduated. This talented and diverse group are pursuing a wide variety of career paths after their degrees. Two students will definitely be continuing on to obtain PhDs and pursue careers as college or university professors. Rachel Kahn will be studying archaeology at the outstanding program of the University of Cambridge in England. Barbara Werner won a prestigious Devaney Fellowship to continue with her PhD here at the University of Colorado, where she hopes to pursue her interest in Cicero. Other students will be entering the work-force. Amy Sommer, who completed the MA in the teaching of Latin, will not be leaving the area: she landed a job teaching Latin at Cherry Creek High School. Among the art and archaeology students, Lawrence Galindo has found work as an archaeologist for the United States Forest Service. He’ll be based in Bishop, California. Nancy Greguras plans to move back and find a job in California, but will continue working as a volunteer in the Legion of Honor Museum of Fine Arts. Holly Scripter is taking time off from being a full-time student, but hopes to strengthen her already strong preparation for a career in archaeology by taking courses and going on digs.

A number of MA graduates will be getting jobs next year, but are keeping their options for further study open. Melissa Johnson will be teaching Latin and some English at Regis Jesuit High School. Cisca Schreefel was hired as an Editorial Assistant for a book publishing company in Broomfield, which specializes in publishing books and reference books on history, the social sciences and humanities. She has not ruled out future studies in a PhD program either in Classics, English or Comparative Literature. So, too, Cassandra Mercer is hoping to find work as an adjunct instructor in a university Latin program, but may well return to graduate school after a year or so. Marion Brew will also be taking some time out, but is considering going on to a PhD program in classical archaeology.

The plans of a couple of graduating students fall outside of these categories. Cody Moore is currently the senior minister of West Side Christian Church in Denver and will remain in this capacity upon graduation: “I hope to eventually enter a Doctor of Ministry program but am taking some time off as this will be my second Master’s degree, and I am tired.” Last but not least, Bridger Bishop is in the process of applying for the Peace Corps. While he goes through the application process he will continue to live and work here in Colorado.

New students will be entering the program this fall from all over the country, from California, Connecticut, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Wisconsin and from other universities and colleges. Although the MA class of ‘04 will be sorely missed, the faculty also looks forward to this exciting new group of entering graduate students.