Sheppard’s Classic PhD Columbia fun time

Sheppard’s Classic PhD Columbia fun time

by Rachel Wattie

Victoria University Classics graduate Joe Sheppard is whipping his way to the United States after being awarded this year’s Fullbright Scholarship.

Sheppard will spend the next five to six years at Columbia University studying for his PhD in self-education of the non-elite in ancient Rome.

Sheppard’s supervisor, Victoria University Professor of Classics Art Pomeroy, said he was impressed with Sheppard’s success.

“Joe’s work represents what is best in research at Victoria: his solid grounding in his discipline has been combined with techniques from other areas, such as sociology and education, to produce new approaches”, he said.

Of the several US universities that he applied for, Sheppard’s acceptance into Columbia adds to the reward of the scholarship. Columbia’s broad, interdisciplinary approach to Classics was of particular interest to him.

“Most Classics programmes tend to focus on Greek and Latin, but Columbia’s programme embraces archaeology, historiography and art history. To be able to study such a wide-reaching programme will be a great experience,” Joe explained.

Joe is enthusiastic about the prospect of meeting new people and experiencing a new culture on the trip.

“The opportunity to be exposed to people from all over the globe is one I’m keen to explore, along with taking advantage of all the cultural opportunities the city has to offer,” he said.

http://www.salient.org.nz/news/sheppard%E2%80%99s-classic-phd-columbia-fun-time

This story was syndicated by the Aotearoa Student Press Association via Salient www.salient.org.nz

ENDS

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