Club Profile: Classics Club

By Maelina Frattaroli

1. When and how did the Classics Club come about?
Professor Cahoon first set up the Classics Club a number of years ago for people interested in Classical Studies. She was in charge of the club, but it fell apart when her husband died four years ago. In the fall of 2004 she asked several students to get the club back on its feet and it’s been running since then.

2. What is the purpose of the Classics Club?
To demystify Classical Studies. So, often people get the impression that classics are for over-intelligent nerds, who know both Greek and Latin. This is entirely untrue. There are no language requirements for the club. Everyone remotely interested in Classics is welcome. The club also strives to keep ancient literature, language, history, and culture alive by giving students a chance to learn about the more interesting aspects of Classical art, architecture, history, and archaeology through discussions, guest speakers, and movies.

3. Who is/are the advisor(s) of the club and what contributions have they made thus far?
Professor Cahoon is the official advisor. She has been an immense help and, since she used to be in charge of the club, had many great ideas for initial events. She has been very supportive of the direction that the club is taking. Without Professor Cahoon, the Classics Club would not exist; however, the other professors in the department have also been very supportive of the club as well.

4. How many committed members does the club have?
The club has 30 active members total. There are usually 10-15 people at any given meeting, and they aren’t the same people every time. Different people come depending on the activity and time of the meeting.

5. Are you planning on holding any events before the end of the year?
Thursday April 6 Weid 412, 9pm is Titus Andronicus Movie Night
Thursday April 20 Weid 112, 9pm General meeting. Other events are an authentic Roman banquet and our 2nd annual Clash of the Titans movie night. In the future (probably next semester though) we will be taking a trip to a museum in D.C., hearing a guest lecture on art, and having a social night for potential majors and minors.

6. How do you plan to publicize and/or recruit members?
We will be sending out digest emails for all events, and the Roman banquet is open to everyone so we hope to gain members from that as well. In addition, anyone who has taken a classics course is encouraged to participate in activities.

7. What long-term goals and/or events do you foresee?
Our main long-term goal is for the club to continue to flourish even after the founding members (who are all juniors) graduate. We are trying to lay the groundwork now for a smooth-running club that will not be difficult to manage. We also would like to see the club get more involved with the Classics Department as well as the entire campus.

8. What makes the Classics Club the best?
The best part about the club is the interesting mix of people that are drawn into it. The only thing that ties us all together is that we all have an interest in some aspect of Classical Studies. We have intellectual discussions, but we also have fun. Often after the meeting is over, we just sit around chatting about our lives. In an effort to attract all types of people, the meetings and events are also rather late at night.