Current Events

Current Events (2018-present)

2023 May Lecture Poster 6th Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics: “The Power of Personal Names: From Homer to the New Testament” by Steve Reece, Professor of Classics, St. Olaf College, on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. in Viking Theater, followed by an alumni symposium from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. in Viking Theater. For more information click here.

Classics Conversation Table: every Wednesday, 6-7 p.m., Buntrock 220. Speakers in 2022-23: Prof. Simone Oppen (U. of MN), Oct. 12; Prof. Victoria Austen (Carleton College), Nov. 2.; Prof. Charley McNamara (U. of MN), Nov. 16.

Harry Potter Night: Oct. 28, 2022, Holland Hall. In the Eta Sigma Phi room, guests could create wands and compose spells in Latin!

Guest Lecture  (“‘Race Mixing’ and the Fall of Rome: The role of eugenics in early 20th century classical scholarship”) by Prof. Denise Eileen McCoskey (Miami University, Oxford, OH): Thur., Oct. 6, 2022, 6 p.m., Viking Theater

Classics Kickball Game: Sun., Sept. 18, 2022, 2:30-4 p.m., Mabel Shirley Softball Field (Greek team 10 > Latin team 8 [+ 2 brownie points] = a tie!)

Congratulations to our 16 majors in the Class of 2022!

Commencement Day Reception: May 29, 2022, Tomson Hall Atrium

Bacchanalia: Sun., May 15, 2022, 2-3 p.m., Tomson 210; announcement of the newly elected Delta Chi officers for 2022-23 and the winners of the Groton Greek Awards, Loomis Latin Awards, and CAMWS Award.

Ancient & Medieval Studies Research Symposium: Wed., May 11, 2022, 5:30-6:45 p.m., Rølvaag Memorial Library 525, with eight seniors summarizing their research projects, plus pizza and root beer floats!

15th Annual St. Olaf Olympics (Society for Ancient History/Eta Sigma Phi): Sat., May 7, 2022, 1 p.m., Old Main Field

Groomis Translation Contests: Wed., May 4, 2022

Alec Award: Wed., Apr. 13, 2022

5th Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics: “Imagining Communities in and with ‘The Classical World’” by Prof. Joy Connolly (President, American Council of Learned Societies; Thur., Mar. 17, 2022, 7 p.m., Viking Theater; watch the live stream here.

Major Declaration Celebration: Thur., Mar. 10, 2022

Eta Sigma Phi Initiation (Delta Chi Chapter): Wed., Mar. 9, 2022, 7 p.m., Holland Hall, Sixth Floor Commons

Eta Sigma Phi Translation Contests: Thur., Feb. 24, 2022, 3:45-9 p.m., Tomson 312

Classics Conversation Table (Weds., 6-7 p.m., Buntrock 221): Guest speakers: Feb. 23: Prof. Florencia Foxley (Carleton College); Mar.23: Prof. Kathryn Steed (St. Olaf College); Apr. 6: Prof. Jordan Rogers (Carleton College); Apr. 13: Jeremiah Harrelson, J.D. (St. Olaf ’99)

Latin, Greek, and German Christmas caroling: Mon., Dec. 13, 2021, 6 p.m., with dessert afterwards in Trollhaugen (7 p.m.)

Latin 231 students dramatize the untimely death of Q. Metellus in Cicero’s Pro Caelio (Mon., Dec. 6, 2021)

50th Reunion of Delta Chi, St. Olaf’s chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the national Classics honor society (Sat., Oct. 23 , 2021)

Classics Kickball Game: Sun., Sept. 19, 2021

Congratulations to our ten majors in the Class of 2020 (delayed Commencement on Aug. 14, 2021)! Click here for photos.

Congratulations to our ten majors in the Class of 2021 (Commencement on May 29, 2021)!  Click here for photos.

Virtual Classics Conversation Table
Semester I: Aug. 24: Welcome; Aug. 31: Certamen; Sept. 14: Prof. Steve Reece (Classics Dept.); Sept. 28: Certamen; Oct. 12: Gregory Randall ’96 (Latin/English); Oct. 26: Prof. Jason Ripley (Religion Dept.); Nov. 9: Games; Nov. 16: Certamen

Interim: Jan. 11: JuliAnne Rach ’20 (Classics/Humanistic Archaeology); Jan. 18: Games; Jan. 25: Devin Ames ’19 (Classics/Religion)

Semester II: Feb. 15: Shawn Stafford ’96 (Ancient Studies/History); Feb. 22: Jason James ’95 (Medieval Studies/Latin); Mar. 1: Michelle Domondon ’00 (Classics); Mar. 8: Certamen; Mar. 22: Elizabeth Beerman ’07 (Classics); Apr. 5: Certamen; May 3: Games

Fall Book Club (discussion of Denise McCoskey’s Race: Antiquity and its Legacy [Oxford University Press, 2012]): Sept. 7, Sept. 21, Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 2.

Spring Book Club (discussion of Helen Morales’ Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths [Bold Type Books, 2020]): Mar. 19, Apr. 12, Apr. 26, May 10.

Bacchanalia: Fri., May 14, 2021, 3 p.m., Tomson 210, with announcement of Groton Greek Awards, Loomis Latin Awards, Groomis Awards for Summer Projects, and CAMWS Awards.

Alec Award: Mon., Apr. 5, 2021

“Contesting Muses” — 4th Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics, Prof. John F. Miller (University of Virginia): Thur., Mar. 18, 2021, 7:00 p.m., streamed here.

Eta Sigma Phi Initiation: Mon., Mar. 15, 2021, Tomson Hall 280:

Virtual Major Declaration Celebration: Thur., Mar. 11, 2021:

Studying for the Beginning Greek midterm:Illustrating Plato’s Republic 614d-619a in Intermediate Greek class:

Virtual Classics Open House: Wed., Aug. 19, 9:00-11:00 a.m.; hear about Classics (and Greek, Latin, Latin Education, Ancient Studies, and Medieval Studies) at St. Olaf, ask questions, and participate in the fun-filled conversation!

Summary of 2019-2020:

Classics Kickball Game: Sun., Sept. 15, 2019

“Origins of the Last Will and Testament in Ancient Greece and Rome” — guest lecture by Charles Bressman (St. Olaf ’79): Mon., Sept. 23, 2019, 7:00 p.m., RNS 150

St. Olaf Classics Festival MMXIX: Wed., Oct. 9, 2019

14th Annual St. Olaf Olympics: Sat., Oct. 18, 2019, Old Main Field; to see photos, click here.

Latin, Greek, and German Christmas Caroling: Dec. 11, 2019

Maureen Dallas Watkins Latin/Greek Sight Translation Contests: Wed., Feb. 19, 2020, Tomson 312; to read the results, click here.

Eta Sigma Phi Initiation: Wed., Mar. 4, 2020, Art Barn

Major Declaration Celebration: Thur., Mar. 5, 2020, Ballrooms; to see photos, click here.

Field trip to Guthrie Theater to see The Bacchae performed by SITI Company, Fri., Mar. 6, 2020.

POSTPONED: “Contesting Muses” — 4th Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics, Prof. John F. Miller (University of Virginia): Thur., Mar. 12, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Viking Theater.

Return of the Classics Couch, delivered by Garner’s Upholstery: Fri., Mar. 13, 2020

Virtual Classics Honors Day, May 1, 2020: congratulations to our Maureen Dallas Watkins Contest winner, our Alec Award winner, and our three CAMWS Award winners! Best wishes to our ten graduating senior majors!

Summary of 2018-2019:

“Caesar and the Battle of Alesia” — guest lecture by Prof. John Bonin (U.S. Army War College): Thur., October 15, 2018, 7 p.m., Library 525; to see the diorama, click here.

“No Male and Female? The Fluidity of Gender in Classical and Early Christian Texts”— guest lecture by Prof. Julia Kelto Lillis (Luther College): Thur., March 14, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Heritage Room

“Foundling Plots in Greek Drama” — 3rd Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics, Prof. Gwendolyn Compton-Engle (John Carroll University): Thur., April 25, 2019, 7 p.m., Viking Theater; to listen to the live stream, click here.

19th Annual Loomis Latin & 18th Annual Groton Greek Translation Contests: May 1, 2019, 3-9 p.m., Tomson 310

“Sardis: Capital of Lydia, Birthplace of Coinage” — guest lecture by Prof. William Bruce (Gustavus Adolphus College), sponsored by the Society for Ancient History: May 2, 2019, 6 p.m., Library 525

9th Annual Lamb Roast: May 4, 2019, 5 p.m., Thorson Lounge

Bacchanalia: May 11, 2019, 5 p.m., Prof. Reece’s house

Commencement Day Reception: May 26, 2019, Tomson Hall Atrium

Collaborative Undergraduate Research & Inquiry (CURI) Summer Project: Dialogues of the Dead: Ancient Graffiti Project 2019 Pompeii Field Session (JuliAnne Rach ’20 and Libby Barth ’21; Supervisor: Prof. Kyle Helms)