Student Testimonials Roman FSP

Coming from a small town in Oklahoma, I have always dreamed about seeing as much of the world as possible-- and by the time I arrived in Rome for the FSP, my mind was already brimming with all the possibilities of adventure. And yet, the FSP turned out to be an experience that I could not have created in even my wildest dreams. From the very first day, we set out to imagine the world of the Romans that among the monumental architecture they left behind. It was an amazing educational opportunity-- I developed more confidence in my research and communication skills, and realized that "the world is your classroom" is far more than just a figure of speech. Over the course of the FSP I developed the academic interests that would shape the remainder of my studies. For example, the appreciation I developed for ancient coinage grew into an internship at the Hood Museum studying the history of currency. The FSP was also important for my personal growth. I returned to Dartmouth with new lifelong friends, a renewed sense of confidence, and memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. Looking back, I can say with confidence that studying abroad is an opportunity unlike any other, and that going on the Rome FSP is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

FSP Nugget: For me, the FSP seemed like the perfect opportunity to grow my passion for Classics beyond the Dartmouth classroom. The FSP taught my eyes how to watch and trace patterns in artwork and architecture. Latin readings on-site gave my mind a whole new perspective with which to approach texts, from Pliny at Pompeii to Tacitus in Britain. After the FSP, I found myself constantly drawing on my memory and insights from the trip in later Dartmouth Classics courses. But above all, I met some of my best friends on the FSP, and I was so thankful to have this group and close friendships for the rest of my Dartmouth career. 

I am Benjamin Driver and I participated in the FSP in the Fall of 2011, graduating in 2013, though I am a member of the class of 2012. I majored in Classics. I took part in the FSP for pretty regular reasons. I did it because I was relatively new to Classics and wanted to become better acquainted with the material culture of the Ancient Romans before becoming a lawyer. This trip, however, absolutely changed the trajectory of my life. I was so inspired by being both surrounded with and taught about classical art, architecture, and archaeology, that I went and took a year off from Dartmouth to learn Latin and Ancient Greek rather than pursuing a career in corporate law. Even before I did that, the trip imbued me with a much greater sense of how to look at art and architecture widely. This FSP improved my ability to appreciate not only classically inspired buildings and art from our modern era, but also to contrast them with distinct styles and enjoy those even more as well. Skills like knowing how to read an archaeological plan are more useful than you might think, especially for the curious. From the archaeological know-how I gained, I can now better appreciate sites like Cahokia Mounds or Teotihuacan. I was so inspired, in fact, that I am now pursuing my PhD in Classics at Brown. This is an FSP well worth taking and it will change your life in details small and large!"

When I arrived at Dartmouth, I was planning on majoring in English. After I decided to dabble in Latin my freshman fall, though, I found myself drawn to Roman history and archaeology as well. I decided to apply for the Classics FSP in Italy my sophomore year because I wanted to experience in person the sites and monuments that had first enchanted me as projections on the walls of Reed Hall. I realized that term in Italy that, as much as I loved Hanover, nothing could compare to the experience of class in the Forum Romanum or an Etruscan necropolis or a Pompeian domus. It was studying in Italy that really made me fall in love with archaeology. By visiting these sites, by standing within and walking around their ancient walls, I gained an entirely new understanding and appreciation of the material. My memories of Professor Stewart's lectures and my classmates' presentations on site are so vivid that I can remember and refer to them now, almost 17 years later. The rigor and intensity, the depth and breadth of the FSP prepared me extremely well not only for the rest of my time at Dartmouth, even classes outside my major, but also for my master's in Classical Archaeology and my career in museums. Now, I am back in school writing a PhD thesis in Etruscan Archaeology, and I still remember Professor Stewart's feedback on my first archaeology paper of the FSP. I didn't know how to write an archaeology paper properly yet, and I hadn't done very well, but as we sat together one morning over breakfast, Professor Stewart patiently walked me through how to structure the paper, how to discuss and evaluate the evidence. She continued to mentor me back in Hanover and was a source of constant support at Dartmouth and beyond. This year, I organized my first conference session and presented my first paper at the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America. As I sat in the front row waiting for the session to begin, starting to panic, I heard someone call my name and looked up to see Professor Stewart smiling at me. She had seen my name in the program and come to support me. If I hadn't done the FSP, I don't think I would have been at that conference; I might have missed my true calling and ended up an English major.

Going on the Classics FSP to Italy was one of the most formative experiences of my Dartmouth education. We were able to surround ourselves with the subject matter during the FSP and really think about antiquity in context. The analytical skills learned from immersive study continued to serve me in law school and now as a practicing lawyer. I still consider myself lucky to have visited many ancient sites as a student of the history instead of just a tourist. On every trip to Italy since, I have nostalgia for when I knew so much about Roman history and could share that with my classmates. I made friends for life on that trip and developed a lasting love for Italy.

The Classics Foreign Study Program in Rome was without a doubt a cornerstone of my education at Dartmouth. The immersive academic experience helped our group forge close bonds -- with the subject matter, with each other and also with the professor who led our trip, Professor Roberta Stewart. Many of us are still friends today, and that trip was probably a spark that inspired me to develop my life and career in Europe. I still travel to Italy regularly and think often on my first time there with Dartmouth.