91¶ÌÊÓƵ

91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Classics and Ancient Studies Department goes beyond ancient texts, helping students build critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills that prepare them for careers in law, politics, and beyond.

By Kate Vander Vort ’27

When people hear “Classics,” they usually think of ancient Rome, Greek myths or learning Latin. While that’s definitely a part of it, the Classics and Ancient Studies Department at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ is also about something bigger: learning how to argue, think, and connect ideas across time.

For classics major Katerina Gill ’25, that realization came after she switched into the major. She originally came to Santa Clara as a math major, but after getting back into Latin, she found herself drawn in. “The department itself was the reason I stayed,” she says. “The faculty continuously implemented student feedback and listened to students’ interests,” pointing to how supportive and responsive the professors were.

That sense of support shows up in the classroom too. Classes are often discussion-based and super interactive. In some courses, students take on roles in a roman senate or athenian assembly, debating real issues from the past. It’s not just reading texts, it’s actually stepping into them.

“We engaged in the representative and democratic processes to make decisions based on the material that we studied that week” Gill says, describing her experience in simulation-based courses.

Those experiences end up being more useful than you’d expect. Now at University of Richmond School of Law, Gill says her classics background helps her break down arguments and understand different perspectives. “A large part of reading cases is recognizing what facts are actually relevant,” she explains.

“It is important to analyze the law from multiple perspectives,” Gill adds, noting how her experience with ancient text translates directly into legal thinking.

That kind of thinking is not just for law students. Political science, history, and classics triple major Grace Martinez ’26 sees connections all the time between her classics classes and what she's learning about in politics. “The issues we talk about in political science classes overlap with the philosophies and ideas from Ancient Rome and Greece,” she says. “I have noticed different historical patterns studying ancient Rome and Greece,” she adds, explaining how those patterns show up in modern political discussions.

That overlap is the whole point. A lot of the questions people were asking thousands of years ago about democracy, power, and justice are still being debated today. Studying those ideas gives students a different perspective on modern issues.

For Martinez, that perspective is already shaping her future plans. After graduation this June, she hopes to work on Capitol Hill and eventually go to law school. She says the critical thinking skills she’s built through classics will directly carry over. “Those skills will definitely be crucial to my career in the political sphere,” she says.

Another big part of studying classics at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ is learning how to communicate. Whether it's translating texts, writing essays, or speaking in class, students are constantly practicing how to explain complex ideas clearly and effectively. Even the Socratic-style discussions prepare students to think on the spot and back up what they’re saying.

“The Socratic method implemented in classical language classes prepared me for cold calling in law school,” says Gill. “This method, while slightly intimidating at first, really encourages thorough understanding of texts. The Classics professors encourage students to engage in this method and grow confidence with speaking in front of others, which makes it much easier to do so in my classes in law school.”

Classics at Santa Clara isn’t just about the ancient part of translating texts, it's about building skills you can use anywhere. Whether it's law, politics, business, or something totally different, the ability to think critically and communicate well goes a long way.