Right now, I am working on an article addressing how Roman and Christian attitudes collided in the marriage laws of the seventh-century Visigothic Code. I will be finishing off coursework and comprehensive exams this semester, and afterwards I will be turning my focus towards writing my dissertation with plans to complete my doctorate in 2027.
In addition to more traditional academic work, I have also been involved with two digital projects created for the literary journal Ancient Exchanges, both of which should debut in the next 12-18 months. The first is a podcast (and accompanying write-up) of interviews done by me with historian and classicist Peter Green that is meant to highlight his works and impacts and, most importantly, tell a great story of a very interesting person. The second is a database of all scholars currently working on translations of ancient texts, which will be used to map the world of translation and serve as a networking tool, so scholars in the field are able find a wider and more diverse range of ancient translators.
I can say for certain that, were it not for my time as a History major at UMD, I would not be where I am today. Classes that I took at UMD (especially Dr. Matthews’s “Dawn of Modern Europe” and “History of Christianity” and Dr. Rop’s “Ancient Warfare” and “Ancient Rome”) not only had a huge impact on me becoming an historian of the ancient Mediterranean, but also inspired me to design and teach my own similar courses at Iowa. In fact, I have been a graduate TA for a few years now, and I can say that the vast majority of my teaching philosophy, approach, and success has come from these classes and conversations with both Dr. Matthews and Dr. Rop.
I owe an awful lot to the professors I had at Duluth, especially Dr. Matthews, Dr. Rop, Dr. Belsky, and Dr. Stanfield-Johnson. All of them acted as mentors for me in different ways, especially in the lead-up to applying to PhD programs. They helped me cultivate my historical interests through book recommendations, Independent Studies, and way too many office hour slots filled by an over-eager student. They were willing to answer difficult questions, offer advice, write letters of recommendation, and help me decide between the offers they helped me receive. Put plainly, there is just no way I could have gone directly from undergrad to a Ph.D. without the excellent training I received at UMD as a History Major.