It’s been a banner year for our IU-Indianapolis Classical Studies Professors: five faculty members received promotions and prestigious prizes. As our semester draws to a close, we take the time to celebrate our faculty’s achievements, in the great tradition of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, who deeply, deeply believed that nothing was more important than glory. Family, friends, whatever: what really mattered was maximizing the number of total strangers who remembered your name and lauded your achievements. In fact, the English word “honor” comes from the Latin word honor, which means “official job assignment,” because the only reason to do your job was to achieve glory. Even “glory” comes from the Latin word gloria, or “praise.” Those who died without earning gloria were doomed to wander the underworld, with nothing to cheer them–as opposed to those who did die with gloria, who were doomed to wander the underworld but feel slightly better about it (Looking to learn more about the totally depressing ancient view of death? Check out CLAS-B 312 Plague, Disasters and Death in the Ancient World, coming Fall 2024). So please join us in celebrating our faculty, so that they don’t pull an Ajax and end up regretting their life for all eternity:

• National Award: Prof. Crystal Rosenthal won the uber-prestigious Rome Prize from the American Academy at Rome. Prof. Rosenthal will spend next year in Rome finishing her dissertation Agents on the Shore: Harbor Arches in Roman Port Cities.
• School of Liberal Arts Award: Dr. Elizabeth Thill won the Outstanding Associate Faculty Award.
• School of Liberal Arts Award: Dr. Andy Findley won a Trustee’s Teaching Award.
• School of Liberal Arts Promotion: Dr. Kathryn Lauten was promoted to Teaching Professor in French (but she still teaches for Classics, so she’s cool).
• School of Liberal Arts Promotion: Prof. Melissa Trahyn was promoted to Senior Associate Faculty.