Jackie Elia ’23

History, Classics

jackie elia '23

Attending seminar on the Acropolis, combing through ancient texts, and hiking across the cradle of Western civilization — immersive studies have defined the PC experience for Jackie Elia ’23. A history and classics major with a natural love for the humanities, she has long been fascinated by the past and how it resonates in the present. That same spirit has also led to academic achievement and recognition, resulting in her induction to the History Honor Society and the College’s new Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

Even as an incoming student, Jackie knew the value of balance and extracurricular involvement. To help ease the transition from high school to college life, she signed up for the FaithWorks pre-orientation program and joined the Providence College Pep Band, where she made friends and lasting connections that endure to this day. She also formed a mutual rapport with her professors in the Department of History and Classics, which gave her an immediate sense of validation and belonging. “It’s one of the smallest, most hands-on departments in the whole school,” Jackie says. “That’s when I knew I made the right choice.”

When the option to study abroad presented itself, she jumped at the opportunity. Spending a semester in Athens, Greece was a dream come true for such an avid student of antiquity, and one that Jackie cites as one of the most memorable adventures of her college career. “At 8 a.m., we’d wake up, head to the stadiums, and be running like the ancients did. We’d have classes in the ruins, hike across the city, sit in an ancient library and learn there for the day.” It also allowed her to explore the more interdisciplinary facets of a liberal arts education, like marketing and business courses, that she might not have experienced otherwise.

More recently, Jackie applied for a summer research grant that examines the lives of women in the early Roman Empire, including regions like the Mediterranean, Spain, North Africa, Greece, and Asia Minor. Her proposal would later develop into a year-long study, ultimately culminating in a senior thesis presentation in the Spring of 2023. “I’m looking at the material evidence that women were in the public sphere as donators and patrons – that they had active roles in these ancient societies that just aren’t publicized enough.”

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