In this episode, we discuss Classics and employability, the tremendous breadth of the discipline, the thrill of philosophy, and how you can discover what fascinates you.
We find out how Amy got hooked on Plato (having first applied to study physics!), who inspired Llewelyn to study Classics, Cristina’s early Olympic experience, and how social, educational, economic and cultural differences intersect to form such a fascinating backdrop to everybody’s unique Classics journey.
(Please excuse Llewelyn tapping the desk a few times – he’s just so enthusiastic about his subject!)
Cristina Chui (https://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/our-work-with-schools/student-ambassadors/cristina-chui) is a Classics (Course IA) undergraduate at Merton College, originally from Newcastle upon Tyne. She is passionate about making Classics accessible and enjoyable and has striven to do this in her capacity as a student ambassador for her college and by setting up two social media ventures: Cristina’s Classics Corner and Merton Classics Access. In her spare time, she does photography and volunteering, or you can find her watching lots of Korean dramas!
Professor Llewelyn Morgan (https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenose/academic-staff/341-dr-llewelyn-morgan) was an undergraduate almost too long ago to remember, but around 1986 to 1990, after growing up in St Helens, Merseyside. He works mainly on Roman poetry and is looking forward to visiting more schools and colleges to explain why Classics is by far the most interesting degree available.
Amy Thompson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-thompson-553a1078/?originalSubdomain=uk) read Classics at St. Anne's College between 2015 and 2019, during which time she picked up Greek from scratch before completing a BPhil in Philosophy. Outside of Classics, she can usually be found in a theatre – preferably backstage with a clipboard in hand, though sometimes also in the audience.
Katrina Kelly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-kelly-3925a216b/), the host of this podcast, studied Classics (Course IA) at Magdalen College from 2015-19 after being home-educated in Lytham St Annes on the Lancashire coast. Now a researcher at the Faculty, she hopes to help make Oxford Classics an ever more accessible, inclusive and exciting place to study and work. Katrina is also the Education Co-ordinator and Branches Officer for the Classical Association.
How can I get involved?
Oxford for North East (https://www.ox.ac.uk/oxfordforNE)
Oxford for North West (https://www.ox.ac.uk/oxfordfornw)
Oxford for Yorkshire and the Humber (https://www.ox.ac.uk/oxfordforYH)
Find a Classical Association branch (https://classicalassociation.org/branches/) or Classics For All hub (https://classicsforallnorth.org.uk/about-us-1) near you
Link colleges for the North East:
Christ Church College (https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/admissions/schools-and-outreach)
St Anne's College (https://www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduate/working-with-schools/)
Trinity College (https://www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/schools-outreach)
Lincoln College – Classical Archaeology and Ancient History only (https://lincoln.ox.ac.uk/study-here/working-with-schools)
Link colleges for the North West:
Corpus Christi College (https://www.ccc.ox.ac.uk/schools-and-outreach/regional-outreach)
Pembroke College – doesn’t offer Classical subjects (https://www.pmb.ox.ac.uk/access-and-outreach)
The Queen's College (https://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/schools-outreach)
St Peter's College – doesn’t offer Classical subjects (https://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/increasing-access)
Link Colleges for Yorkshire and the Humber:
Brasenose College (https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/prospective-students/schools-liaison)
Magdalen College (https://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/studying-here/outreach/next-steps-south-yorkshire/)
Mansfield College – doesn’t offer Classical subjects (https://www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/schools-and-colleges-liaison)
Worcester College (https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/applying/access-and-outreach/regional-outreach)
