Classics

Featured Alumni

If you would like to share what you have been up to since graduating from CC with a major or minor
in Classics, please email classics@coloradocollege.edu. We would love to hear from you!

 

Ella Roach

figurine of justice on a desk in officeGraduation Year: 2009
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Currently living in: Oregon 
Current Occupation: Assistant Attorney General

One of my favorite things about studying Classics at CC was learning the process of translation: approaching a text in another language, parsing the words and grammar to try to figure out the meaning, perhaps (okay, usually) consulting the Middle Liddell, and finally attempting to articulate not just the definitions of the words but the tone and sentiment behind them. Now, as an attorney, I routinely read complicated statutory language and case law, consult reference sources or review legislative history, and then communicate the meaning to someone who needs to know what the law means for them. Being able to successfully translate a convoluted statute or complex ruling into language that the client can understand and use is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. And although the statutes aren't written in ancient Greek, sometimes it feels a little like reading Thucydides.

 

 

 

Cassandra Casias

CassandraCasias-current

Graduation Year: 2011
Hometown: Pueblo, CO
Currently living in: Durham, NC 
Current Occupation: Assistant Professor of Classics at Duke University

What was your experience like as a Classics-History-Politics major?
I loved it! I had trouble narrowing down what I wanted to study, and CHP allowed me to take a wide variety of classes. Not only did I learn multiple languages and study several historical periods, but I was also able to learn about political theory, religion, and comprative literature.
Why were you interested in focusing on Classics-History-Politics as your major? 
During my first two blocks, I took History of the Book with Carol Neeel, and she showed me that CHP would allow me to explore a lot of different topics. By taking Latin and Greek, I was better able to understand the ancient world and medieval foundations of many aspects of the modern world.
How are you using your major in your post-CC life?
Although I eventually narrowed my focus to Roman history, majoring in CHP taught me to think broadly and make connections  in my research to other fields of study, as well as to maintain a wide vareity of interests. 

 

Paige Harari

PaigeHarari-2017

Graduation Year: 2017

Paige is currently living in Brooklyn, NY working as a Production Assistant in the Film/TV industry.

"While my current profession doesn't revolve around Classics per se, the ability to decipher the interconnectedness between different industries, people and beliefs is a skill I learned from the Classics program. Classics courses always push you to draw connections not only between different myths or ways of life between Greeks and Romans for example, but between antiquity and our current state of the world. Seeking to find those connections has allowed my professional network to flourish and made me incredibly adaptable to changing work environments."

 

 

 

Sabrina Piersol

Sabrina-piersol-headshot-2023

Graduation Year: 2017

Sabrina graduated with a double major in Classics and Studio Art. She is a painter based in Aspen, CO, where she is also the Youth & Family Programs Manager at the Aspen Museum of Art.

"Classics had an important effect on the artwork I produce, particularly on my environmental paintings. These explore the meaning and value of fragments. My ideas were heavily influenced by the study of Sappho's poetic fragments in Ancient Greek, which I first encountered at Colorado College and then studied further while getting my MFA at UC San Diego."

 

 

 

Alexis Davis

AlexisDavis-postCC

Graduation Year: 2018
Ancient History Minor

Alexis is currently working for the Denver Public Library.

"Having a thematic minor in Ancient World has allowed me to have great conversations with my patrons and coworkers regarding Greek mythology and Greek literature! I've even been asked by patrons to give talks about Ancient Greece."

 

 

 

 

 

Maddie Cahill-Sanidas

MaddieCahill-Sanidas

Graduation Year: 2017

Maddie is an Associate at Campaign Finance Consultants, a political consulting firm in Washington, DC. In September 2020, she will begin the Flex MBA program at Georgetown University.

"I think something unique to the Classics major cohort are the ties you have within the major - for example, Emma Johnson is one of my closest friends in Washington - Classics brought us together!"

 

 

 

 

David Wright

DavidWright-2014grad

Graduation Year: 2014

David has been working in marketing and management for a couple of small breweries in Denver and in rural, souther Illinois since graduating from CC. He will be switching gears in fall 2021 and attending a graduate program for urban planning (deferred a year due to COVID-19.)

"My Classics thesis was on inebriation/altered states and communication with the divine in the ancient world and, through this project, Owen helped me attain a Venture Grant to study microbrewery culture in different parts of Colorado and how it connected to local communities. Classics instilled in me a real interest in how people interact with their surrounding communities and how those communities take shape, leading me to want to pursue urban planning in the future." 

 

Spencer Cortney Green

SpencerCortneyGreen-Current

Graduation Year: 2012

Classics-History-Politics Major

Spencer just finished their coursework for the Masters of Humanities program at the University of Colorado Denver with a focus area of philosophy and theory and a certificate in women and gender studies. They are currently writing their thesis and researching potential PhD programs. They have also been working in the nonprofit sector in Denver since graduating from CC in 2012.

"My Classics education prepared me exceptionally well for graduate studies. Even though there was a five year break between leaving CC and starting my MH program, both the course material and skills taught to me by Owen and Sanjaya were still applicable and in my memory, a testament to their quality of instruction."

Emily Kohut

EmilyKohut-Current

Class of 2016

Emily is currently working for Penrose Library in downtown Colorado Springs in the Family and Children's Services Department.

"Classics always fed my need to be around and consuming stories. Literature has always driven me, and the myths, history, etc., that I was able to immerse myself in through Classics at CC filled my soul and encouraged me to continue to seek stories. Working at a library, and specifically for children, really just fuels that fire as I get to work with and share stories constantly! (Plus every once in a while I get to yell about the myths and lore I love!)"

Report an issue - Last updated: 08/07/2025