Dr. Erin Walcek Averett is the Assistant Director for the Athienou Archaeological Project on Cyprus. She recently gave a public lecture for the Omaha-Lincoln chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America titled: “Playing the Part: Masking Rituals in the Eastern Mediterranean,” and will present her current research on Cypriot figurines (‘Hath not the potter power over clay’ Constructing Identity at the Crossroads of the Mediterranean”) in November at the American Schools of Oriental Research’s annual meeting in Boston. Dr. Averett’s article, “Drumming for the Divine: a Female Tympanon Player in the Museum of Art and Archaeology,” was published this fall in the journal Muse, Vol. 36-38, pp. 15-28. Her review of Sabine Fourrier’s La Coroplastie chypriote archaïque. Identités culturelles et politiques à l’époque des royaumes (Lyon: Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée, 2007) will appear in the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research next year. Another article, “The Terracotta Figurines and Votive Masks,” has been accepted for publication in the monograph Crossroads and Boundaries: the Archaeology of Past and Present in the Malloura Valley, Cyprus, edited by M. Toumazou, P. Kardulias, and D.B. Counts.
In May 2008, Dr Geoff Bakewell stepped down from directing the Honors Program to devote more time to his family and his research. This year he has published “Forbidding Marriage: Neaira 16 and Metic Spouses at Athens,” forthcoming in Classical Journal 102.4 (2008); “Trierarchs’ Records and the Athenian Naval Catalogue (IG i3 1032),” in Orality, Literacy, Memory in the Ancient Greek and Roman World, ed. Anne Mackay, E.J. Brill, Leiden, 2008: 141-160; “Aeschylus’ Supplices 11-12: Danaus as Πεσσονομων,” Classical Quarterly 58 (2008): 303-307; “The One-Eyed Man is King: Oedipus Rex and Spielberg’s Minority Report,” Arethusa 41 (2008): 95-112. (Special issue entitled Celluloid Classics, ed. Kirsten Day.) His recent talks include a paper at the Feminism and Classics V conference and a lecture at the University of Cincinnati. His non-literary offspring increased as well with the arrival of (Geoffrey) Trexler in April 2008. He was awarded the 2006 CAMWS Award for Excellence in Teaching and the CCAS Dean's Award for Professional Excellence in Teaching.
Professor Bucher has been named the Professor in Charge of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome for 2011-12. Plan your European travels accordingly! He is currently the director of the Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome (2008-2010). He also taught at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome in the 2006-2007 academic year. He has organized (with Meghan Freeman) the symposium 'The Good, the bad, and the altered: toward a method of identifying recut and typologically irregular Roman imperial portraits', to be held 21 April 2009 at Creighton University. He also organized the piano recital at Creighton by internationally famous pianist John Kamitsuka, playing the Omaha premier of Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, on 19 March 2009. He has recently published Brill's New Jacoby authors Marcus Tullius Cicero and Aulus Licinias Archias, and his Aulus Postumius Albinus is in press. He also published an article 'Appian of Alexandria' in the Blackwell Encyclopedia of Ancient History (in press). His chapter "Towards a Literary Interpretation of Appian's Civil Wars, Book I" has appeared in the 2007 Blackwell Companion to Greek and Roman Historiography. He spent 4 weeks at the American Academy in Rome in fall 2008 working especially on his book on Greek Verse Inscriptions in Rome and also on the Latin verse epitaph of Allia Potestas. His chief scholarly project is a commentary on Caesar's Civil Wars, books 2 ans 3, which is slated to be published by Cambridge University Press.
Dr Christina Clark is beginning her second year as Chair of the department. When she isn’t swamped with administrative tasks, she works on a variety of scholarly projects. In 2009, she had two articles appear. The first, on gendered nonverbal behavior in Greek ritual, arising out of her talk in the Kripke Center’s symposium on Women, Gender, and Religion, was published in the Journal of Religion and Society, Supplement Series 5. The second, a study of tears in the Roman poet Lucretius’ De rerum natura, appeared in the volume Tears in the Graeco–Roman World, published this August by de Gruyter. Recently, she began research on a study of nonverbal behavior in Roman ritual. In Rome for two months over the summer, she worked her way through bibliography on Roman religion in general and ritual gestures and clothing in particular. In addition, through the kindness of Greg Bucher who allowed her to tag along with the Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome for several days of their program, she was able to visit sites and museum collections normally off–limits, including the republican temples of Portunus, Hercules, and Juno Sospita, and various collections within the Vatican Museums. She was especially excited to see the grave relief of Laberia, a priestess, which includes both an inscription and an image (see below).
At present she is busy putting together her sabbatical proposal for leave to write a book on nonverbal behavior in early Greek and Roman poetry, which will be the culmination of her research over the past ten years. Finally, she has been asked to write several book reviews over this fall and winter for the Journal of Roman Studies, the International Journal of the Classical Tradition, and Mnemosyne. This year as well she is co–organizer of the diversity seminar on feminist theory, together with Dr. Barb Dilly. In addition to her administrative and scholarly work, she has enjoyed her teaching assignments, teaching Latin composition, beginning Greek, Hesiod’s Theogony, the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, and our gateway class, CNE/GRK/LAT 300: Introduction to the Ancient Mediterranean World. She has been hired to teach for the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, with Greg Bucher as professor–in–charge, in 2011–2012. In her spare time, she enjoys her dance classes (ballet, jazz, and tap) in Creighton’s dance department, and spending time with her daughter Genevieve. This past summer in Rome she and Genevieve watched the entire run of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD, especially relishing the musical episode, “Once More With Feeling.” You can check out Christina’s and Genevieve’s dancing in Creighton Dance Company’s production of The Nutcracker in early December 2009.
Dr Martha Habash has had her article "Priapic Punishments in Petronius' Satyrica 16-26" accepted for publication in the Fall 2006 issue of the journal Syllecta Classica, and her article "Petronius' Satyrica 24.7: Quartilla's asellus" was published in Ancient Narrative 5 (2005). She delivered papers at the 2005 and 2006 CAMWS conferences. She serves on the University's Faculty and Academic Council. She received a Freshman advising award in February 2007.
Dr Ron Simkins continues to develop the Virtual World Project, including traveling annually to Israel and Jordan to photograph archaeological sites. The project is located at http://www.virtualworldproject.org. He continues to research and write on gender, the environment, and the political economy of ancient Israel.
A review of Dr William Stephens' most recent book, Stoic Ethics: Epictetus and Happiness as Freedom (Continuum 2007), appears in Notre Dame Philosophical Review 2009-05-14. Stephens presented a paper "Bugbear and Open Door Policy: Epictetus on Death" at the Iowa Philosophical Society Meeting at Cornell College, in Mount Vernon, Iowa, October 18, 2008. His recent book reviews include: The Philosophy of Epictetus. Edited by Theodore Scaltsas & Andrew Mason. Oxford University Press, 2007. Ancient Philosophy (forthcoming 2009); Epictetus’ Handbook and the Tablet of Cebes: Guides to Stoic Living. By Keith Seddon. New York & London: Routledge, 2005. Ancient Philosophy XXVIII, no. 2, Fall 2008: 460–466; Stoicism and Emotion. By Margaret R. Graver. University of Chicago Press, 2007. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2008.07.56.; Dumb Beasts and Dead Philosophers: Humanity and the Humane in Ancient Philosophy and Literature. By Catherine Osborne. Oxford University Press, 2007. Social Theory and Practice 34, no. 1 (Jan. 2008): 139–145; and Don’t Worry, Be Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for Troubled Times. By Peter J. Vernezze. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2005. Ancient Philosophy XXVII, no. 2, Fall 2007: 452–455.
(If we have missed something about you or someone you know, tell us and we'll put it up. We're dependent upon your input! Furthermore, if you access the student directory from the CANES home page you can contact current and former majors. Tell us if we haven't got your email address or if we've accidentally left your name out. Many current majors and alums have entries in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter.)
CANES Greek Major alumnus Evan Carlson is enjoying his post-Baccalaureate program in Classics at Columbia University, and taking time to augment his studies by attending some of the many lectures on classical or archaeological topics given around the New York City area.
CANES Latin Major alumnus Taylor Page is working toward his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Northwestern University.
CANES Latin and Theology Double Major Cathy Reid is to be inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu December 2, 2006. Congratulations to Cathy!
CANES alumna Katie Antholz (LAT '04) served as the Sergeant-at-Arms of our Eta Sigma Phi chapter in 2003-2004. She went, with a hefty scholarship, to Wichita State University for her MFA in English. A recent sighting of Katie confirms that she is happy and prospering in her graduate career; she has been teaching English composition and now understands what it's like for World Lit professors! In addition, she was hired in a prestigious teaching program through Duke University this (2006) summer.
CANES Greek Major Brian Barrett (LAT CBA '05) is now President of our Eta Sigma Phi chapter. See his entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter. For a peek into his scholarly work, see the entry for Greg Bucher, above. Brian is well on his way to his masters degree in Theology at Notre Dame.
CANES alumna Rachel Bash (CNE '02) (see photo below) attended the departmental dedication ceremony on 7 May 2004 (see the entry for Martha Habash, above). She is currently pursuing a graduate degree in English at the University of Oregon at Eugene. She will soon send an update.
CANES alumnus Michael Dawson (LAT CBA '04) was 2003-2004 secretary of our Eta Sigma Phi chapter. See his entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter. He has now finished his second year at Creighton Medical School. For a peek into his scholarly work, see the entry for Bucher, above.
CANES alumna Jenny Fotsch (LAT '03) has finished her teaching MA and is departing Central High for the greener pastures of Milwaukee. She will be teaching Latin I, II, and III at Brookfield East HS and Wisconsin Hills MS, 3305 Lilly Road, Brookfield WI 53005. See her entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter.
CANES alumna Shay D. Graves (CNE '04) has an entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter and is currently a reporter. She was married earlier this year (2006) to Tim Burke.
CANES alumnus Thinh T. Ho (LAT '03) successfully pursued the Latin MA at the University of Iowa. He was president of a Vietnamese organization in Iowa City, has applied to Creighton's school of Pharmacy, and served as a dealer in a casino to help make ends meet last year.
CANES alumna Amanda Kimura (LAT CBA '04) headed up our chapter of Eta Sigma Phi as President in 2003-2004, and has in that capacity just presided over a successful initiation of 15 new members. See her entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter. She is finishing her first year at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing the PhD in Classics with a 5-year scholarship. She also attended the American Academy in Rome's Classical Summer School in summer 2004: see her report here.
CANES alumna Sarah Lewis (CNE '06) sent this useful and interesting summation of her experience in the department:
Having walked through the doors at Creighton and the Classics department, I immediately began my studies in Classical languages. Being a Freshman, and having no other language training, except Spanish in High School, I knew that learning a new language was going to be both challenging and exciting. I was really "pumped" to learn Latin--especially when I would be able to spout out fun idioms at parties. Learning Latin was great, but I soon discovered my absolute passion for the Greeks and their language. Greek was, at least to me, easier to learn. That was of course, after I had familiarized myself with a little bit of Latin, which is a close grammatical companion. But like learning any new language, it can be difficult to master -- every instructor was very willing to provide methods to help the grammar and vocabulary "stick" as best as possible. (Thank you everyone!!) I would recommend to students to familiarize themselves with at least one Classical language. Not only because it is fun, but it can help in other courses too. For example, in Ancient Philosophy, Greek words were occasionally written on the board and the instructor would ask for them to be translated; and I was able to provide the right English translation. I am very grateful for my instructors for having taught me the Classical languages -- I feel that I not only enhanced my English vocabulary but I also took in a bit of culture as well -- now I can say "Gnothi seauton" and know exactly where it comes from and what it means. And "Knowing Thyself" is important, especially knowing not to be above the gods.
CANES alumnus Brandon Massin (LAT '03) is currently studying Medicine at Creighton and interning at UNMC. See his entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter.
CANES alumna Anastasia McCaffrey (GRK '03) was married last summer and now bears the cognomen Wheeler. See her entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter. Anastasia has just informed us that she gave birth to son Hugh Richard on 10 April, at 7lb, 2oz. See a photo here.
CANES Major Julie Mund (CNE '05) served as liaison between the Classics Club and Eta Sigma Phi in 2003-2004, and is now chapter Vice President. She was Creighton's deligate to the Eta Sigma Phi convention in New Orleans in spring 2004. See her entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter. Julie has taken an impressive position as a medical research assistant in the 2005-2006 year.
CANES alumna Jasmine Parhar (CNE '03) is currently studying medicine in India. She writes that she is well and settling in; a sighting in the fall of 2004 proved her to be happy and healthy. See her entry in the Fall 2003 CANES Newsletter.
CANES alumna Rebecca (Stephens) Falcasantos (GRK CBA '02) gave birth to Kiara Alexis on Oct. 6, 2004. Kiara measured 20 inches and weighed 7.00 pounds. Rebecca and the beautiful Kiara were seen in the department on a visit during the spring 2004 semester. Congratulations to Rebecca and husband Brian! Update! Rebecca writes in: "I graduated from Notre Dame this past May with my Master of Arts in Early Christian Studies. Right now, my family and I are living near Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, where my husband is stationed. Next semester, I'm scheduled to start at Austin Peay State University in nearby Clarksville, TN as an adjunct in the Department of Languages and Literatures."
CANES alumna Rachel Waggoner (CNE Co-Major '04) served as treasurer of our chapter of Eta Sigma Phi in 2003-2004. She graduated (2006) with the MA in Theology at Creighton.
