Amanda Iacobelli
Ph.D. Candidate CAMS (Greece)
"As a student of the ancient world, the Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies program in the Penn State History Department is providing me with an ideal environment in which to pursue my interdisciplinary interests. The variety of the faculty’s expertise and their eagerness to interact with both students and peers creates a climate rife with possibilities for academic exchange, intellectual challenge, and development. While focusing on ancient Greece, the program gives me the opportunity to combine history with archaeology, and fulfill my interest in exploring the nature and significance of Near Eastern influence on Greek culture. This comprehensive mentality is further encouraged by allowing students to reach out to other departments and benefit from the wide range of academic expertise the university has to offer. Frequent lecture series and conferences expose us to new research and foster a sense of interchange with the wider academic community. Library collections are extensive, and staff members are responsive and attentive to student needs. Additionally, I believe the importance accorded to the development of our teaching skills is a great strength of the department. Through a variety of experiences we are encouraged to cultivate our role as educators. I have also found the student community to be highly interactive and supportive on both a professional and social level. Be it through graduate student conferences, social occasions, or office conversations, the atmosphere is both friendly and amenable to intellectual exchange. As a whole, I feel that in providing me with rich and diverse didactic experiences, this program is effectively guiding me towards becoming a better researcher and teacher."