New alumni group Classical studies alumni get connected
Alumni and alumnae of Classical Studies can look forward to a new group that connects former students, coordinates joint activities, and provides subject-specific information. Already 118 members have joined the group, including renowned representatives of classical studies in Heidelberg such as Prof. Dr Angelos Chaniotis and Prof. Dr Tonio Hölscher.
“I noticed that, until now, there were only two subject-specific and relatively small groups for alumni from archaeology and philology,” says Benjamin van der Starre, who is studying for a master's degree in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at the Heidelberg Center for Ancient Studies. "That only covers a fraction of the alumni from the ancient studies departments. Former students of ancient history, Egyptology, Assyriology, and papyrology had previously had no opportunity to network with each other." Without further ado, Benjamin van der Starre founded a new alumni group for all former students of ancient studies. His work as a student assistant in the office of Heidelberg Alumni International also prompted him to take this step.
“Connecting all alumni from the field of classical studies also has the advantage of facilitating interdisciplinary exchange,” says van der Starre, who is also the moderator of the new group. “News about events or current developments in archaeology, for example, may well be of interest to alumni from the field of ancient history – and vice versa, of course.” The new alumni group creates a larger platform to connect more people from Heidelberg's classical studies department and keep them better informed. For example, a joint colloquium is planned for 2026. In addition, a journal is to be published for the first time this year, in which members of the group can publish articles about scientific projects and publications.
The two existing groups "Archaeology" and "Philology" are now part of the larger network, but remain as subgroups. This means that those who only want to be informed about one of the subject areas can continue to do so.
You are cordially invited to actively help organise the new Alumi Classical Studies group. Join the group in HAInet, advertise in your environment and encourage other alumnae and alumni to join in as well. Feel free to contribute your own ideas and suggestions and help us to build a lively network in the field of Classical Studies. As the group is interdisciplinary, all neighbouring disciplines with an interest in Classical Studies are of course also welcome. Please contact Benjamin van der Starre if you have any questions or require further information: benjamin.starre@alumni.uni-heidelberg.de
