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By Joe Glatman-Zaretsky
Brooklyn, New York
Classical Languages, Economics
and
Andrew Ver Steegh
Mahtomedi, Minnesota
Classical Civilization, Political Science
The Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies,
based in Nafplion, Greece, is widely considered
the most competitive international
program that Harvard University has to
offer. Each summer 16 Harvard students
complete six-week internships in either Athens or Nafplion, and in 2008, two spots were reserved for Macalester students.The summer program features high-level internships at a variety of public and private organizations.
Given our similar interests (classics, economics, and political science), it should be no surprise that the two of us received similar placements. Joe worked in the economics department at the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He researched procurement contracts through the World
Bank, as well as the United Nations, to help the ministry build a database useful for promoting the international business affairs of private Greek firms.
Andy spent six weeks researching
European Union (EU) integration in the
Western Balkans at the Hellenic Center for
European Studies (EKEM), which is funded
by the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
To take a break from reading through official
documents from the EU, World Bank,
and other international organizations,
Andy, along with staff members from
EKEM, conducted interviews with diplomats
from the Balkans.
There was time, of course, for archaeology. We worked at our organizations four days
a week, and spent the weekends traveling around the country. We toured a variety of
ancient sites, from the Parthenon in Athens to Mycenaean ruins on the Peloponnesian peninsula. We toured the site of the oldest form of Greek writing and raced on the same track where the Nimean Games were held 3,000 years ago. Our guides were working classicists and archaeologists—leaders in their field—providing unique insight into the ruins before us.
Our mix of academic interests led us to be placed in internships where we could excel with modern material and have firsthand experience with the material remains of antiquity. At Macalester, the classroom is just the starting point.
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