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Associate Professor Ben Haller Selected for Fellowship at Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies
His work focused on completion of a new book and Latin textbook for VWU students
University News | November 5, 2024
Associate Professor of Classics Dr. Benjamin Haller was awarded a six-week summer fellowship at the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS) in Washington, D.C. This prestigious fellowship, which includes research privileges that continue through the 2024-25 academic year, enable Haller to work on his new book, tentatively titled “Citizens Forged in Flame and Song: The Homeric Hymn to Hermes, the Apatouria, and the Peisistratids.” This project builds upon a presentation he first delivered in 2023.
Despite a back injury this summer that left him temporarily unable to walk normally, Haller found the fellowship experience enriching. “I cannot think of a way I would rather spend six weeks convalescing than in an office surrounded by piles of books,” he noted, referencing the impactful research of notable scholars like Gregory Nagy, Douglas Olson, and Kurt Raaflaub: luminaries who shaped his own growth as a classicist.
In addition to his research, Haller managed his usual summer responsibilities, including Student Learning Assessment Reports (SLARs) and language placements, while cherishing the opportunity for focused research. He also completed a field test draft of a new Latin textbook, “Laetabere!,” which is being used by VWU’s Latin 111 cohort this semester.
Reflecting on his journey, Haller recalled how, upon his arrival at VWU in 2008, he and his students had served as field testers for “Disce!,” a textbook by Kitchell and Sienkewicz. Now, with “Laetabere!,” he aims to bring a fresh perspective to Latin pedagogy by emphasizing the rich cultural heritage of Latin in North Africa during the Second Sophistic and its influence on English literature.
“Laetabere!” also addresses a broader educational goal: equipping STEM students with foundational knowledge of scientific terminology derived from Greek and Latin. Each chapter includes an etymology section focused on key vocabulary in fields such as medicine and biology.
Haller’s projects embody his passion for combining detailed philological work with discussions of ethical and historical relevance, striving to contribute to the understanding of democratic society through the lens of classical texts. He firmly believes that the study of Latin is essential to a well-rounded liberal arts education, providing valuable opportunities for all students, particularly those from non-traditional backgrounds.