The family of 2023 graduate Marshall St. Amant has generously established a new endowment for Classics that will be used to help students studying abroad cover incidental costs. Read more here!
With a $100,000 gift, Gabriella and Marshall St. Amant (middle) have established two endowments. With them are their children, Marshall (left) and Bella (right).
Latin Teacher, Founders Classical Academy
Hometown: Van Buren, AR
Transfer student from the University of Arkansas
BA in Classics with an emphasis in Latin, minor in History (2015)
When and why did you choose to study classics?
I originally was a history major, wanting to focus on early and medieval Christianity. Therefore, I chose Latin as my language. It was not long before I picked up Classical Studies as a second major, then eventually dropped the history major and made Classics my only major.
What were some significant accomplishments or favorite memories while at UM?
I transferred to UM during my sophomore/junior year. I was coming in at a time when I was really struggling with Latin. I was able to work with Dr. Pasco-Pranger to become much better at Latin to the point where she asked me to be one of the Latin and Greek tutors my last few semesters. That put me on the path to my current career! As far as memories, I have too many to name, but I was able to build friendships with my classmates and professors that have continued to today. Many of my UM friends have become extended family members that we share major life events with and visit regularly.
Please describe your career path since graduation from UM.
After leaving UM and after tutoring Latin for a year, I knew I wanted to teach Latin as a career and worked toward that goal. I have now been teaching 7th-12th grade Latin at Founders Classical Academy in Rogers, Arkansas for 4 years. I love that I get to do something I am so passionate about every day and that I get to help to foster that same passion in my students!
What is the value of studying Classics (and Latin) in today’s world?
As I tell my own students regularly, there is so much value from studying the past, so many great works from the classical period that have morals and examples that are still applicable to today’s society. As far as studying the Latin and/or Greek languages, they both open up a pathway for the acquisition of so many other languages. Studying these ancient languages expand your English vocabulary, both for technical terms in various career fields, but also in your everyday speech and writing. Beyond that, the relationships you will foster as a member of the Classics Department are ones that will continue to enrich your life forever!
Hometown: Jackson, MS
BA in Classics and English (2007)
MFA in Creative Writing (2010)
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Why and when did you decide to major in classics?
I had studied 5 years of Latin and one year of classical Greek in high school, prior to coming to Ole Miss, and a lot of that early decision came from family influence…my grandmother had actually been a Latin teacher. I knew from the outset of my undergraduate career that I wanted to study classics and English. I had a strong interest in words and education, which I knew could be bolstered by studying classics.
Please tell us some significant accomplishments/favorite memories from your time at UM.
I was at UM from 2004-2010, earning both my BA in classics and English as well as an MFA in creative writing, so I remember the Presidential debate, the dedication of the Civil Right monument, visits from Judy Shepard, King Abdullah of Jordan, Salman Rushdie, Samantha Power, E.O. Wilson, and every author (established and emerging) one could dream of. Presenting research on a study of a Latin manuscript held at the Richelieu Library in Paris at a medievalists’ conference (after performing the research in Paris with Dan O’Sullivan) was a great taste of “academia.” Traveling with the Lott Institute in cooperation with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (South Africa) and The University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) on a fellowship to study race, religion, and reconciliation in divided societies was life-changing. But so were conversations on the balconies of Square Books and City Grocery, connecting with classmates and local luminaries at Bottletree Bakery and Ajax Diner.
How would you summarize your educational/career path since UM?
I have worked in K-12 education since I finished my MFA at UM in 2010, first in US boarding schools (where, incidentally, I taught Latin and Greek for three years, in addition to other duties) as a teacher, department chair, and program director. I also built an educational consulting practice in the US and China, where I have worked with families considering educational options for secondary schools and for college/university placement. I have worked with schools considering creating fully-independent curricula, looking to enhance their recruitment strategies in China, and seeking assistance in enhancing LGBTQ+ inclusion policies. Since 2020, I have lived and worked in China full time, first as Principal and Dean of Academic Affairs at Yungu School, a private school founded by Jack Ma and Alibaba Partners in Hangzhou, China, and now as Director of Student Wellbeing and College Counseling at Avenues: The World School in Shenzhen (www.avenues.org), which has campuses in New York, Sao Paulo, Silicon Valley, and online. I have also maintained a presence in the writing and publishing world, having published two books in addition to regular essays, poems, and reviews in journals and magazines.
What do you see as the value of studying classics in today’s world?
If you truly have a command of language, your prospects are great in this world that needs clear, compelling communicators. Additionally, I would say that studying classical languages is an excellent training in systems and structures, which is a competency transferable to other contexts. Finally, studying classics will allow someone to grapple with questions of ethics, leadership, morality, and community that we are always going to grapple with, so I think there is a real advantage to looking at the roots of the debates that wage on today.
LLM in Art, Business, and Law student, Queen Mary University of LondonHometown: Baldwyn, MS
BA in Classics with an emphasis in Latin, Philosophy; minor in English (2017)
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Why did you choose your majors?
I took Latin and Philosophy 101 my first semester, and they started a chain reaction which has heavily impacted my life since.
What were some significant accomplishments or memories from your time at UM?
I started the first UM Ethics Bowl team with my two close friends. At the time, we were specifically an archaeological ethics bowl team, but the team still exists and competes in intercollegiate ethics bowl nationally. Read about her time in that first Ethics Bowl team.
Tell us about your educational/career path since UM.
I left UM and went to Georgetown Law. I have worked as a Judicial Law Clerk for the District of Columbia Office of Administrative Hearings, where I performed legal research on regulatory law issues. I graduated with my JD in 2020, passed the bar in 2021, and moved to London to get my LLM in Art, Business, and Law at Queen Mary University of London. My experiences and success at UM definitely played a big role in giving me the confidence I needed to study and work abroad in law school and move abroad to continue studying so early in my career.
I am working toward a career focusing on the nexus of human rights and cultural heritage protection. I am passionate about cultural heritage as an integral factor of identity-building and the human experience.
What is the value of studying classics and philosophy in today’s world?
The humanities changed me as a person. They teach you how to think, and I think a lot of people realize that. But they also teach you how to listen, have compassion, learn from the past, and be a good citizen. My undergrad education was vital to becoming who I am now.
Freelance Writer, Editor, Speaker BA Classical Civilizations (1979)
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Professional Website
Dr. Fortenberry has been working in the publishing world in London, England. Her positions have included Managing Editor for the Dictionary of Art at Macmillan Publishers; Founding Partner with Academy Projects, a consulting firm offering specialist archaeological, architectural and publishing services; and Project Manager and Senior Editor with Phaidon Press, specializing in fine art, ancient and non-Western art and archaeology. Dr. Fortenberry is now a freelance writer, editor, and speaker specializing in the visual arts, art history, and archaeology. She is also an o
Why did you choose your major?
I wanted to become an archaeologist of Greek and Roman sites, and I did so, even while pursuing a publishing career.
What were some significant experiences or fond memories of UM?
I had the good luck to have been taught by Lucy Turnbull and Ted Capps, both inspiring scholars (in very different ways) and supportive mentors.
Tell us about your educational/career path since UM.
I was a student at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens with Aileen Ajootian. I gained a PhD in Aegean Bronze Age Archaeology from the best school in the country for that speciality, the University of Cincinnati. In the end, though, I decided I wanted a career outside of academia, and ended up in publishing, which turned out to be the perfect career for me.
My current big project is a book commissioned in collaboration with an iconic American photographer about Central Asia. In addition, I am lecturing on archaeological topics for cruise lines, editing books for British and European publishers, and contributing book reviews and articles to various publications.
What is the value of classics in today’s world?
A classics major can go on to do pretty much anything, from medicine to music, literature to technology, politics to journalism. The language skills you’ll take away and the historical understanding you will gain are of immense value in a vast number of careers — or you might decide to teach the next generation.
Attorney, Condon Tobin Sladek Thornton Nerenberg PLLCBA in Classics and Economics (2013)
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Colby Roberts finished his JD at SMU Dedman School of Law in 2016. He has worked as an attorney with Cutler-Smith then Friedman & Feiger. He is now an attorney for Condon Tobin Sladek Thornton Nerenberg PLLC in Dallas, TX.
BA in Classics, emphasis in Classical Civilization, minor in English (2013)
MA in Anthropology (2016)
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Gabby Coggins has worked in higher education, first at the University of Mississippi and now at the University of South Carolina. At UM, she worked first for the College of Liberal Arts Dean’s office as an Academic Counselor where she helped many graduating Liberal Arts students on degree requirements, course selections, academic rules and policies, and the degree application process. She then worked with the Division of Outreach as the Program Coordinator for Study USA. She was a coordinator for the Internship Experience program in Washington, D.C., New York and Atlanta.
She is now an Academic Advisor and Internship Coordinator at the University of South Carolina Honors College in Columbia. She has also worked with the National Society for Experiential Education, first as Experiential Kickoff Subcommittee Chair then as the NSEE 51st Annual Conference Chair. As chair of the annual conference, she facilitates monthly meetings with the planning committee, assists with any planning tasks, and collaborates with the NSEE board.
She has been working on a doctoral degree in higher education/higher education administration.
Why did you decide to major in Classics?
Latin was the first step into Classics. I loved the language, I was surprisingly not too bad at it, and had never taken a foreign language before. But really, I didn’t know Classics was an option as a field of study. I had always enjoyed history, specifically of the Mediterranean region, and when I found Classics, it was everything I wanted.
What were some significant accomplishments or favorite Classics-relevant memories while at UM?
Definitely my study abroad trips to Greece and Italy. Because of the support of the department and my family, I found new passions and interests during two summer trips. I had never traveled without my family, and had definitely never left the country, so doing both on a trip to Greece opened my eyes to a whole new world. It was a personal accomplishment to be more independent, and discover myself beyond my small hometown. My studies in Italy resulted in my Honors College thesis topic, and were my first step into archaeology, and I later received my master’s degree in Anthropology. My master’s degree was a mixture of cultural anthropology and archaeology, and my thesis treated the influence of cultural changes and power regimes on religious architecture in Syracuse, Sicily.
Why study classics at UM?
The small department allows for deeper discussions, more individualized attention and exciting opportunities. The faculty are passionate, and really enjoy teaching their subjects. I learned so much in class, but also from being around them at events and during office hours. I would do it again everyday if given the choice. The UM Classics faculty helped shape me into the strong, empathetic, reflective scholar that I am today. They encouraged me when I was scared, supported me when I was tired, stood by during a tough thesis defense, and still celebrate with me to this day.
What do you see as the value of classics in today’s world?
At the base level, my English and grammar were much improved by taking Latin. Ha ha.
Classics taught me to think deeper, to ask questions, and reflect on the similarities in today’s world. Coming from a small town in Mississippi, I was always surrounded by people that thought the same things as me. The Classics department challenged me to think differently, to see things through a different perspective, and it made me the empathetic person I am today. I work with undergraduate students of all ages and phases of life. I have turned my interests and research towards cultural awareness in the workplace for interns, which I attribute to the lessons I learned as a Classics major.
I can see the effects of the Roman culture in today’s politics, the Greek culture in the church I attend, and think about Classics daily. I now attend a Greek Orthodox church where I can practice my Ancient Greek language, and I’m still learning the history of the region.
Hometown: Saucier, MS
BA in Classics, Linguistics, and Spanish (2019)
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Ty Gill was a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and wrote his senior thesis on Code-Switching Practices in the Foreign Language Classroom: Instructor Nativeness and Students’ Perceptions.
Gill received an Honors College fellowship to study abroad in Valencia, Spain, then a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Asturias, a region of northwest Spain. While on Fulbright, he taught primary and secondary school students English as well as about American culture and food. Before he left, Gill said, “this experience will provide me with both sides of the equation that I will be able to use in future research. Moreover, the cultural knowledge will allow me to see how all parts of Spain are drastically different, and I can use this knowledge when I begin pursuing graduate education in linguistics.”
He earned a MA in Linguistic Theory and Typology in 2022 from the University of Kentucky. He is currently enrolled in a master’s degree program in Linguistics and Dialectology at the Université Jean Moulin in Lyon, France.
Hometown: Hazlehurst, MS
BA in Classics, Political Science, and Public Policy Leadership; minor in Intelligence & Security Studies (2014)
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Vinod Kannuthurai finished an MA in International Affairs and National Security Studies in 2016 from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M. During that time he completed two internships at the US Department of State. One was with the Special Envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the African Great Lakes and the second was with the Economic-Political Section of the US Embassy in Singapore.
After graduation, Kannuthurai worked with the Stimson Center, a nonpartisan policy research center for national security issues. He was a South Asia Intern then an Editorial Consultant on center publications. He moved to the US Department of State where he was an Office Management Specialist. He is now a Foreign Affairs Officer for the Office of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives.