Even as we say a fond farewell to our graduating seniors and to Bronwen, we eagerly look forward to the arrival of three new faculty who will be joining us and adding to the record number of Gustavus classicists (30 majors at the last count!). You will get to meet them properly at the fall kick-off party, but here is a sneak preview:
Sean Easton’s interests range widely; he has presented and published on Greek and Roman authors, from the most prominent (such as Ovid and Virgil) to the more esoteric (such as Lucan and Dio Chrysostom); among his interests is Greco-Roman magic, so we may soon be learning about arcana more intriguing even than Harry Potter’s expelliarmus and furnunculus spells.
Yurie Hong is currently working with a wide variety of Greek medical, poetic and historiographical texts, looking at images of pregnancy and childbirth and at ways in which these are often appropriated by male authors. Her interests in gender studies and ancient medicine will expand the range of departmental specialities. Like her husband Sean, Yurie has most recently been teaching at Arizona State University.
For many, Mary McHugh needs no introduction, having already established a devout thiasos of Gustavus groupies when she taught here in 2004-05. Her interests range from Roman history and art history to gender studies and Greek philosophy. She has studied at the American Academy in Rome and presented and published on topics from Julio-Claudian women to Roman cuisine and Latin pedagogy. Her J-term course (A Taste of Roman Food) is still frequently cited in conversation. Mary (shown here midstream) will be joining us from Hamilton College.