Pathways Fellowship Reports, Summer 2024
Sasha Peterson (A26): CUNY Latin/Greek Institute, New York, NY 18 Course: Upper-level Greek Program
Avi Pope (A26): European Alpine Academy, Ettal, Germany 19 Course: Linguistics & Ecology
Adam Powers (A24): CIEL Strasbourg CCI Campus, Strasbourg, France 20 Course: Francais, Super Intensive
Abigail Pritchard (A26): European Alpine Academy, Ettal, Germany 21 Course: Linguistics & Ecology
Millie Ransohoff (A26): University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 22 Course: Calculus I
Ali Shawamreh (A26): Heidelberger Padagogium, Heidelberg, Germany 23 Course: German Language Intensive
Dohyun Song (A24): Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands 24 Course: Planning & Design for the Just City at the Dept. of Urbanism
Esther Beland ‘25
Goethe Institut (online)
Course: Elementary German I
Instructor: Steffi Singh
Duration: June 3 – July 16, 2024
Credits: Certificate of Completion
With my Pathways fellowship I completed an introductory German course provided by the Goethe Institut. My hope is to use this knowledge to deepen my future study of German philosophy and literature.
The course focused primarily on basic grammar and conversation skills and seemed more geared for those either planning vacations or business trips to Germany than academics or scholars, and thus diverged substantially from the St. John’s model of language-learning I have grown accustomed to these last few years which was a bit of a shock at first. Nevertheless, the course has proved invaluable to me as an aspirant scholar and translator, providing the fundamentals of German grammar in a rigorous yet approachable fashion, and my love of translation has only been deepened since completing the course. I have also been able to crossreference certain class texts at St. John’s with their German originals, which has greatly aided my understanding and learning.
My hope is to continue with German on my own time as I complete my time at St. John’s and then to cultivate a more specialized knowledge of it as a language of philosophy in grad school. For this, I could have asked for no better foundation than that provided by the Goethe Institut, and I heartily recommend their online course for any student willing to put in the time and rigorous effort.
Peter Boersema ‘24
University of North Dakota
Course: Calculus I
Instructor: Alexandar Sidles
Duration: variable
Credits: 3
I took this course in order to meet a requirement for a graduate school program in economics. I still plan to do this, although I think my enrollment in a graduate program is still two years away.
I had initially hoped to take a calculus II class. On the basis of my experience at St. John’s, I managed to convince the UND math department to let me test into calculus II. I proceeded to fail the test, so I had to take calculus I instead.
About 75% of the concepts in this calculus I class are concepts which a Johnnie who’s paying attention will understand by their senior year, and the other 25% are not especially abstruse. What St. John’s does not emphasize is technical mastery. 1 Almost nothing at St. John’s is taught as a skill, although for my money this is most conspicuous when we cover calculus. So for me, taking calculus I means not learning novel concepts, but rather practicing skills to become a more accurate technician.
Technical mastery is of course good and useful for extrinsic reasons. There’s also a certain virtue in having become excellent at some or other skill. Still, I’ve had to relearn that it’s nowhere near as satisfying as conceptual exploration. 2 Another thing that taking this class caused me to relearn is this: while technical mastery can contribute to a robust conceptual understanding, it takes a concerted mental effort to make the connection. This, at least, is something that my St. John’s education has helped prepare me for.
Notes: 1. This is, I think, why I didn’t pass the calculus II entrance test, which tested technical mastery almost exclusively. Please note, I am not complaining. 2. I assume I knew this in the past because otherwise I wouldn’t have come to St. John’s.
Jennings Caldwell ’26
Central Virginia Community College
Lynchburg, VA
Course: Calculus 1
Instructor: Prof. Kathy Thomas
Duration: 10 weeks
Credits: 4
The online calculus course that I took over the summer had twofold purposes. Firstly, while the mathematics at St. John’s is both in depth and broad, it is harder to parse for administrators at other institutions, and as such, for anyone who is planning on going to graduate school in a STEM field, more standardized courses are always helpful. Secondly, I wished to see whether or not I could handle the coursework of a more standard course, and whether advanced mathematics was a field I would enjoy a career in, as I plan on pursuing a career in engineering after I finish my education at St. John’s.
As I took this class as a rising Junior, I did not have the background in calculus that the Junior year gives one at St. John’s, however, this did have the unexpected benefit of preparing me for the concepts that the Junior math curriculum deals with. While this meant that the class was more challenging, especially as I did not take a calculus class in high school, I feel that the Freshman and especially Sophomore year math classes are sufficient preparation for a student wishing to take additional math courses as soon as possible, as long as one has a reasonably firm grasp of the concepts at the end of those first two years. I would also caution others wishing to take an advanced math class that it is very different to go from the discussion-based coursework of St. John’s to the more standard lecture-based courses most other colleges offer, especially online.
While I am overall a proponent of online classes, and feel that my choice to take my course online was a prudent one, they do come with several caveats. For one thing, they are even more self-paced than St. John’s classes, so you have to be very careful to keep yourself responsible for doing a proper amount of work every day, especially in a ten or twelve week course. Additionally, especially in a math course, there is virtually no interaction between students, at least in my experience, which is a massive paradigm shift coming from St. John’s. However, they are an excellent choice for those who are either unable, or unwilling, to commute to a campus several times a week over the course of their summer.
I believe that this course was a good, valuable experience overall. It has strengthened my choice of engineering as a career path after St. John’s and has set me on a path to being very well prepared, in tandem with the St. John’s curriculum, for obtaining a graduate level education. I will be better prepared to meet course requirements in the future and will have experience transitioning from a St. John’s style of coursework to more traditional graduate classes.
Dongha Cha’25
Yonsei University
Yonsei International Summer School
Seoul, South Korea
Courses: Introduction to Korean Studies & Modern Korean History
Instructor: Kelly Jeong
Duration: 6 weeks
Credits: 6 credits (3 credits each)
As an aspiring historian on modern Korean history and someone who is planning to go into a PhD program in history, I felt that I did not have enough knowledge in that particular field. While the St. John’s College curriculum has prepared me with close reading of texts and critical thinking, I have not had the experience of studying what I want to explore in the future. Therefore, taking classes about Korean history in Korea was a very valuable experience.
I took two classes, both examining the Korean society of the 20th century. The course Introduction to Korean Studies focused more on the cultural and social aspects of modern Korea, while Modern Korean History dealt with historical and political aspects. Both classes were taught by the same instructor and were conducted in a very similar manner. Most of the class time was spent on lectures, with occasional group discussions. Although classes themselves were rather easy their target students being foreign students visiting Korea and did not require much studying for me, a Korean who wants to study history for the rest of his life, I still learned a lot about Korean history through the required readings. Most readings were either primary sources or works of renowned historians of Korean history. I was able to familiarize myself with the contents, styles, and authors of the materials I will study in graduate school. In this way, I have been assured of my passion for history, since I immensely enjoyed going through the readings, and have prepared myself to be in the world of academia.
Another meaningful aspect of the program was being in the middle of Seoul, the capital city of Korea. Even though I have lived in Korea for most of my life, I always lived in what would be equivalent to the American suburbs, distanced from the history and culture of urban Korea. By staying in Seoul for six weeks, I was able to be in closer contact with the sites of modern Korean culture, such as extremely crowded subway stations or roads where protests for democratization happened in the 80s. In conjunction with the classes I was taking, I rediscovered various aspects of Korea that have been hidden from or forgotten by me.
Taking these classes meant much more than just listening to lectures and taking exams. It was being in contact with what I want to spend the rest of my life with works of historians, stories of people from the past, and the city in which the history of Korea itself was unfolding.
Elisabeth Crosby ‘24
Boston University, Boston, MA
Course: Paralegal Studies Certificate Program
Duration: 14 weeks
Credits: Certificate in Paralegal Studies
For fourteen weeks this summer, I participated in Boston University’s online paralegal certificate program. The program gave me a valuable introduction to several legal practice areas through a combination of asynchronous classwork and virtual classroom discussions.
The course was composed of seven modules, with assignments and finals concluding each subject. Although I began the program with some previous paralegal experience, the course provided an opportunity to broaden my skills and gave me invaluable training with research databases I had not used before. It required active participation in the form of discussion posts between classmates, and I felt that the senior year seminars on historic court cases were a helpful preparation for the legal analysis and conversation that was required.
Partway through the course, I applied for a paralegal position at a Washington, DC law firm, and I greatly appreciated the career development guidance that was available through Boston University. The course helped me prepare for my interviews and navigate the paralegal specific questions I was asked. The program not only helped me get the law firm job but has also given me basic familiarity with a wide range of topics, some of which have been directly applicable to my work.
Although the course was ultimately helpful, I did struggle with the online and asynchronous components. I found that it was sometimes difficult to learn without readily available discussion with classmates and professors. It took discipline to do the course well and to maximally learn from it. I think that the paralegal course could be helpful for other Johnnies who are contemplating law school and who are planning to work as a paralegal beforehand. The course has helped me set a potential career trajectory in the form of a minimum two-year paralegal commitment which will give me time to determine if I want to pursue law school and if I enjoy the big law, corporate environment.
Max Dreyfuss ’26
Paideia
Institute for Humanistic Study
Living Latin in Rome 2024
Instructors: Marina Garanin, Tyler Patterson
Duration: 2 weeks, June 30 – July 13, 2024
Credits: Official Certificate of Completion
I participated in Living Latin in Rome, an intensive and immersive course on Latin grammar, literature and history. LLIR was a travel program that took place mainly in Rome, Italy, with a three-day-long trip to Naples included as well. My intent in taking this course was mainly to supplement my knowledge of the Ancient Greek language, preparing for a future career path in linguistics and the classics.
The primary tenet of LLIR is that learning is best accomplished through reading and discussing, which is a perspective on education that aligns closely with that of St. John’s College. I and the other students met on a daily basis for seminar-style discussions of the Latin text chosen for the year in our case, Vergil’s Aeneid. Thanks to my experience with seminars at SJC, the class environment was familiar and comfortable. However, there was an additional element that complicated matters somewhat. As one might be able to guess from the title of the course, LLIR students learn Latin as a living language. Therefore, the language used in our discussions was Latin (to the extent possible, given the relative skill levels of each student). Rather than preparing English translations before we met, we typically read passages at sight and simplified them into more colloquial Latin. And even outside of class, we were encouraged to immerse ourselves in speaking and listening to Latin.
In some ways, this could hinder the learning process, especially for students like me whose prior knowledge of Latin was shaky. Although our class rosters were organized by level of skill and knowledge, it was never going to be an easy task to learn a language by speaking it. The study of vocabulary in particular was not given much focus, being somewhat of an afterthought, left for the students to handle on their own terms if they could: I remember having to ask what various words meant on the spot as I stumbled through a difficult clause. But this method ended up being a surprisingly good way to cultivate a broader knowledge of the Latin language. If you are almost always encountering Latin words in context instead of organized in a textbook, and seeing how they relate to other words instead of learning about them as individual entries in a vocabulary list, you will be more prepared to face unfamiliar sentences because you will have a better idea of how Latin sentences, generally, are constructed. You will understand Latin speech as a whole, rather than in pieces. I personally discovered in myself a capacity to quickly pick up the language that surprised even me, and I have no doubt that other students experienced similar things.
In addition to its novel pedagogical approach, LLIR is also designed around the idea of loci in locis, literally “verses in places”. Seminar discussions were interspersed (and sometimes even
combined) with visits to locations featured in the Aeneid, or were relevant to Vergil’s life in other ways. We visited the cave of Cumae and the shores of Lavinia while discussing passages in which the characters of the Aeneid walked the same paths as us. My most vivid memory is of sitting in a boat and sailing down the Tiber River, listening as one of my fellow students dramatically read out Aeneas’ encounter with Tiberinus. All this travel had a profound effect on us: in conjunction with the treatment of Latin as a living language, it made the text feel vibrant and engaging, getting us far more invested in our studies. And although the trips were mainly focused on sites of Vergilian importance, they were not solely limited to these. We visited numerous historic locations from various eras of Rome thereby giving our linguistic studies a historical background. Frequently, we would combine these two parts of the LLIR program by trying to sight-translate Latin inscriptions from the monuments we saw, an entertaining and fulfilling experience.
It must be acknowledged that the LLIR program does not provide actual course credits. It only benefits the career path of a student insofar as it benefits the student themself by increasing their competence in Latin. Nonetheless, my participation in LLIR helped me improve my linguistic knowledge and historical knowledge at the same time, as well as giving me insight into the general workings of the field of classics. Generally, I feel that I now have a sharpened focus on my career options a better idea of what is viable to pursue and what is not. And with my current combined knowledge of Greek and Latin grammar and vocabulary, I would say confidently that I have a far more stable foundation for my future studies.
Oscar Gonzalez ’24
CUNY Summer Greek Institute, New York, NY
Course: Basic Ancient Greek
Instructor: Eric Bayless-Hall
Duration: Ten weeks
Credits: Certificate of Completion
This summer, I studied at the CUNY Summer Greek Institute in their Basic Greek program. It was a highly intensive and comprehensive program, which, in ten weeks, covered 4-5 semesters worth of college level Attic Greek. I entered this program with the goal of further preparing myself for graduate study of philosophy, especially ancient philosophy, and for the simple aim of learning a more complicated language, which has helped me with understanding the structure of language more completely.
Obviously, having studied Greek at St. John’s was quite helpful for me going into this program. While I had lost much of my knowledge from earlier times at St. John’s, the understanding of basics of Greek and certain elements of sentence structure and vocabulary remained with me, allowing me to focus more on the elements of syntax and morphology which were new to me. Without my St. John’s Greek, I would in no way have been able to keep up at the Greek Institute. My academic goals have not changed much since the beginning of the summer. I had planned to take a gap year before applying for graduate programs. That is still the plan for me, and I am currently working while I research graduate programs and prepare my application for those programs. Nearly all of the graduate programs in Ancient Philosophy which I have found require a working knowledge of either Greek or Latin. Even if I were to pursue non-ancient Philosophy, knowledge of several other languages, such as Greek, Latin, French, or German, is generally required in the course of study, so the Greek proficiency I picked up sets me up to succeed in that field as well.
The unadulterated intensity of the Greek Institute may have been the most important part of the experience for me. While I had worked hard at St. John’s and worked jobs before, the time commitment was completely unprecedented for me. In order to keep up, I had to spend 11-14 hours a day between class time and homework. I had just about nothing else going on in my life over the summer, which was entirely necessary for me. While I can’t exactly call that aspect of the program pleasant, it was very fruitful. I know now that I am suitably equipped, when sufficiently invested, to give myself over entirely to one course of study for an extended period of time. I also learned that studying Greek was something which could sufficiently motivate me to such an extreme level of study. That was good news for me and confirmed in me the belief that I will be able to study effectively at the graduate level and satisfy my own thirst for learning.
The same aspect of the Greek Institute makes me qualify any recommendation of the program to other Johnnies. I would certainly recommend it to any Johnnies who really are willing to spend an entire summer learning Greek, but not for anyone who would like to have an ordinarily enjoyable summer. From what I experienced, the Greek Institute is incredibly effective at developing proficiency in Greek (and, from what I understand, the Latin program is equally effective), but there is plenty of sacrifice involved. The entire experience was incredible, and I would even recommend the somewhat reticent, as I think pushing oneself in the way that the Institute requires is a useful ordeal through which to put oneself.
Ruiyan Gui ’25
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Course: Web Programming with Python and JavaScript
Instructor: Brian Yu
Duration: June 27 to August 8
Credits: 4
This course is only recommended to those who have already acquired some knowledge and skills of programming. In this course, we delved into the practical side of designing and developing real websites. First, we learned how to program the backend effectively with tools such as Python, especially with Django framework, interacting with databases. Next, we learned how to combine the backend with the frontend, developed through JavaScript. These two languages are certainly among the most popular programming languages in the world, hence it would be quite helpful if one is familiar with them before one goes into a career on the technical side.
The course is well designed. Compared to the course preparatory for this one provided by Harvard, i.e. Intensive Introduction to Computer Science, the pace of this one is much slower. Each assignment is as challenging and interesting as those in the introduction course, yet one has much more time left each week. This is certainly good news to whoever has a tight summer schedule.
The course is divided into four components: lectures, tutorials, quizzes and projects. Each lecture video was released at the beginning of the week, amounting to about two hours in length. For every week there was a tutorial section, wherein you could meet your other classmates and an instructor, learn some tricks, techniques or just excursuses on lectures, and to have your questions answered. Some instructions I received during the sections were immensely helpful, like FlexBox for layout, and how to use ManytoManyField in Django. Most of the time, lectures and tutorials are all you need to successfully complete your assignments (projects), though you almost always do need to diligently search online for details. Quizzes are not very difficult, but projects can be very challenging. Apart from all the regular projects, there is one final project that is to be designed and developed by yourself and is a good chance for you to put what you have learned into a real and creative process. Depending on personality, it could either be exhilarating or intimidating.
In all, I would definitely recommend this course for students interested in technicality. Johnnies do have a tendency to hold handicraft and techné to despise, yet it is also important to remind oneself of the Baconian lesson, that scientific advances were pushed forward equally by those who deduce axioms and those who tinker with stuff.
Troy Herner-Brown ‘24
UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Course: Multivariable Calculus
Instructor: Arash Farahmand
Duration: 8 weeks
Credits: 4
This summer, I took the opportunity to expand upon my Johnnie education by enrolling in a multivariable calculus course at UC Berkeley, and I’ve found that it has not only deepened my mathematical understanding but also enhanced the problem-solving skills cultivated at St. John’s.
At its core, multivariable calculus challenges the student to think beyond the linear and the singular, to see problems from multiple angles, and to grapple with the complexities of systems that interact in dynamic ways. This closely parallels the methods we use in our seminars at St. John’s, where examining ideas from a variety of perspectives is critical to developing a wellrounded understanding. Much like how a philosophical text demands a multilayered interpretation, calculus requires careful consideration of how variables shift and influence one another in different dimensions.
During my time at St. John’s, I gained an appreciation for the importance of logic, abstraction, and precise reasoning, skills which proved invaluable as I navigated this course. The mathematical rigor of multivariable calculus offered a new framework for problem-solving, allowing me to apply the habits of inquiry I had developed in the humanities and sciences. I learned to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts an approach reminiscent of how we dissect difficult texts in seminars. Just as grappling with Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason requires a methodical and layered approach, so too does solving problems in multivariable calculus.
What surprised me most was how multivariable calculus reconnected me with my studies in classical mathematics at St. John’s. The abstract thinking required to move from twodimensional to three-dimensional space reminded me of my work with Euclid’s Elements and Ptolemy’s Almagest. Both experiences require patience, precision, and the ability to see relationships where they might not be immediately obvious. Multivariable calculus built on that foundation, but pushed my understanding into new realms, introducing me to vector calculus, Lagrange multipliers, and multiple integrals concepts that expanded the way I approach problems, both mathematically and philosophically.
The course also provided a more immediate and applicable understanding of the physical world, linking abstract theories with real-world phenomena in ways that enhanced my appreciation for the natural sciences I studied at St. John’s. I found that multivariable calculus strengthened my ability to conceptualize and model these systems more effectively.
Ultimately, this summer course in multivariable calculus has allowed me to apply the intellectual discipline I developed at St. John’s to new and challenging territory. It has enhanced my problem-solving abilities, expanded my analytical toolkit, and deepened my understanding of both mathematical and philosophical complexity. I feel more equipped than ever to approach interdisciplinary challenges with confidence and creativity.
ChangGyu Kim ’25
Korea University (KU)
Seoul, South Korea
Course: North Korea – History, Politics, Society
Instructor: Prof. Fiori
Duration: June 26, 2024 - August 1, 2024
Credits: 3
Thanks to the Pathways program, I had the opportunity to complete the North Korean Studies program at Korea University this summer. During six weeks of intensive learning, I was able to reconnect with and bridge gaps in my knowledge about North Korea.
Throughout my studies, I gained a much deeper understanding of its history and political system, aspects I had previously only grasped superficially. Learning from foreign professors allowed me to see North Korea from an outsider’s perspective and gain a more objective view of how the international community perceives North Korean society.
This program was designed for international students; thus, I was able to interact more with foreign students and discuss how their countries view North Korea, broadening my views. It wasn’t just about North Korean studies; I also ended up learning a great deal about international politics centered around North Korea through multiple group projects. The research papers we had to read outside of class were also helpful in deepening my understanding. I found myself seeking out more related research papers, which I felt were more helpful than just reading textbooks.
My time at St. John’s over the past three years has accustomed me to asking more questions and feeling free to talk in class, which I believe is a fundamental part of the learning process. The lecture-based approach in this program felt somewhat rigid and less dynamic. However, the Q&A sessions during the class were able to break the quietness of the class, and the years of practice at St. John’s equipped me to exchange my thoughts with students, helping to bring some energy back into the class. Though I would be hesitant to recommend the specific program I took to others, as the chances of someone else sharing the same niche interest in North Korea seem slim, I would highly recommend exploring other programs at Korea University that align with different interests. Meeting a variety of people from different countries, experiencing different cultures, and engaging in an immersive learning environment over five weeks in Korea during the summer will enrich and transform the experience for participants.
Again, thanks to Pathways for allowing me to learn about North Korea as a Korean who is not familiar with its neighbor at a distance. Though I doubt I will continue pursuing North Korean Studies as my future major, I definitely will use this experience to nourish myself and become a helpful person in preparing for a reunified Korea in peace.
Jinhyung Kim ‘24
Yonsei University
Yonsei International Summer School (YISS)
Seoul, South Korea
Courses: Calculus & Principles of Macroeconomics
Instructor: Jose Manuel Gomez (Calculus) and Myungkyu Shim (Principle of Macroeconomics)
Duration: 6 weeks
Credits: 6 credits (3 credits each)
The six-week program at Yonsei University helped me greatly in preparing for graduate school. I plan to attend graduate school to study economics in greater depth. I was able to contemplate many different topics at St. John’s College, and the YISS program provided me with valuable skills to pursue my academic goals in a different way.
During my junior year at St. John’s College, I explored why calculus was invented and the logic behind it. Questions like “What is infinity? Is it a number or something else?” or “If two points get close enough that we can ignore the gap, can we call it the tangent line at a point?” helped deepen my understanding of what I learned at YISS.
In the YISS calculus course, the main focus was understanding the concept and application of limits and derivatives. The background knowledge I gained from St. John’s College made this more than just memorizing rules. I was able to understand the broader concepts and why limits and derivatives are applied in specific cases.
The Principles of Macroeconomics course helped me identify the field of economics I want to pursue. I wrote my senior paper on The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith, and the question “Why does a nation's economy grow, and what is the best way for a nation to become wealthy?” remains unanswered.
In Principles of Macroeconomics, I learned about various models that give explanations to this question, particularly the Solow model, which explains why economies continue to grow. While taking the class, I began to think about how I could connect the questions I had at St. John’s College to the MA thesis I will write in the future.
The program was a valuable opportunity to sharpen the skills and knowledge I gained from St. John’s College, and I got a glimpse of what I will study in graduate school. Lastly, I also enjoyed meeting new friends from around the world and learning about their cultures.
Madelyn Minor ’24
Boston University, Boston, MA
Course: Paralegal Certification
Instructor: Multiple instructors
Duration: 14 weeks
Credits: Certificate
This summer I completed a paralegal certificate from Boston University. This was an online, semi-synchronous course, which means that while there were live zoom classrooms and professor office hours, most of the work had to be completed at your own pace. It is not an ABA-approved course (no online paralegal certification is ABA-approved!) but it’s sometimes a sufficient substitution for the 3+ years of legal experience that many paralegal job postings require. I was lucky enough to be offered a job upon completion of this course, so don’t think you can’t apply for these jobs if you don’t meet the requirements exactly!
One of the things I really liked about the course was that it was divided into seven two-week modules focusing on different areas and skillsets of law. The first two, Legal Research and Legal Writing, develop the foundations of legal thinking which paralegals and lawyers both must learn. In LR we spent a lot of time on WestLaw, decoding legal citations, and learning about the American hierarchy of courts, all of which were much-needed refreshers for me. In LW we wrote many case briefs using the FIRAC format, which was familiar to me from my JD-Next course last summer. This was just plain fun I very much enjoyed the chance to stretch my writing muscles, and I think writing so many Johnnie essays helped me out a lot here. The third module, Legal Technologies, was very easy (I had used all of the technology covered in the unit in some internship or another) but could be helpful instruction for people new to Excel or the like. The rest of the modules covered Real Estate Law, Business Law, Litigation, Probate and Family Law. These were a mixed bag I enjoyed the way some were taught and what subject matter they covered more than others, and that’s okay. Each had different instructors, and teaching style varied: from pages of dense Real Estate-specific terminology, to spunky Litigation quips and movie references, to assignment-and-live-classroom-heavy Legal Writing. Each module instructor had their own grading criteria, so be careful and read the announcements! All the modules were fun to learn about, but I got more out of some than others I’m hopefully never going into Business Law or Real Estate Law, but some of my classmates may be.
This was definitely a course with an emphasis on the practical. I don’t know if I would recommend it to someone who wasn’t immediately looking to be a paralegal after the course, but if you are planning to, then it was very, very helpful. From what I can tell, a paralegal’s daily work varies greatly between the people they work for and the area of law they concentrate in. This course develops a good broad understanding of what is necessary to do the job well and takes select deep dives into certain areas of paralegal expertise. I learned enough to feel like I have a solid foundation to start my job, even though the area I am going into (Immigration Law) wasn’t specifically covered. Overall, I very much enjoyed the course and would recommend it to Johnnies who would like to become paralegals (or who have yet to take the LSAT and needed an interim job like me)!
Dion Adora Mihaela Păun ‘25
Humboldt-Institut, Berlin Germany
Course: Intensive German
Instructor: Leon Ospald
Duration: 3 weeks
Credits: Certificate
My time in Berlin greatly contributed to this summer being one of my favorites from all memorable self-history! I am immensely grateful that I received the Pathways award to pursue this academic project. I am interested in studying German idealism in graduate school, for which proficiency in the German language is a requirement. This intensive summer program brought me in a very short period of time three weeks from B1 level to B2 (that is, from lower intermediate to higher intermediate level). Moreover, it enabled me to continue improving my language level on my own (whereas before I had trouble advancing without a guide in the study of German language).
Humboldt-Institut was a great choice for taking this course. It is a relatively new institution (it celebrated its 10-year anniversary while I was there!), but they offer a rich and wellstructured academic and cultural experience. The Institut is in a small building. The classes take place on the 2nd and 3rd floors, whereas the 4-6th floors are for residency. The food in the dining hall was excellent. Their staff, both administrative and faculty, was very nice and helpful: they know English as well, but everyone speaks German so that you would be completely immersed in learning the language. The Institut is located in the central area of Berlin, which made it very easy to get everywhere by bus, tram, subway or walking!
Each day we would have 9:00 am – 1:00 pm or 4:00 pm classes, followed by their cultural program. That is, there would be a resident advisor who would take us either on museum trips or to park walks. These events are planned ahead by the Institute. I visited the Government’s building and many other fun sites like a small lake-beach, important squares in Berlin etc. There was once a trip to Humboldt University, organized at the request of students interested in studying there. I liked that the resident advisors took into consideration our interests and they would modify trips/ take our request for future events.
The classes have a small format: they range from 2- 12 students (mine had 8 or 9). The instructor was very nice and immensely helpful. We worked on all four parts of the German evaluation exams: writing, speaking and reading and hearing comprehension. My colleagues were very nice and friendly, and made it an amazing study environment. Berlin people are very kind and approachable, and they made me see how I could live or study there one day!
I would recommend this program to any other Johnnie interested in improving their German level. There are, of course, other German-speaking institutions, but what I especially liked about Humboldt is that it is in the heart of Berlin: my soul was greatly enriched by the time I spent wandering around the historical places and by visiting museums, which were only 10 minutes
away from where I was residing! I think the Language class at St. John’s prepares one for such a learning experience: although German is a different language from Ancient Greek and French, our language curriculum gives us the linguistic skills to approach the study of other languages as well. All in all, my time at the institute resembled a lot of the time I spent studying Greek in Freshman year, with the only difference that my German course was an intensive program.
My experience in Berlin greatly enriched my desire to study German culture and historicalphilosophical development further. I would say that my academic and career goals stayed the same, only with the addition that I see myself doing other academic-related side jobs as well. For example, I learned that Berlin (and Germany) has a great problem with the lack of teachers, which made me see how this could be a potential job opportunity for me in the eventuality that I would pursue graduate studies in Germany.
My course also offered the option of additional preparation for Telc exams. I have not yet taken the exam, insofar as I plan to take it when I achieve an even higher level of proficiency (a more solid B2 or C1). The course helped me advance towards this goal. It is incredible that one can improve from one level to the next – from B1 to B2, for example – in less than five weeks. Moreover, the social experience that I had at the Institut showed me job opportunities in Berlin that I could pursue after my studies at St. John’s. All in all, it was an excellent learning and personal-growth experience, which constituted one of the highlights of my summer. I wholeheartedly recommend Humboldt-Institut for other students interested in taking German classes!
Sasha Peterson ‘26
CUNY, Latin and Greek Institute
New York, NY
Course: Upper-Level Greek Course
Instructors: Carlo DaVia, Chris Simon, Alan Fishbone
Duration: June 24 – August 12, 2024
Credits: 8 credits (4 credits each)
My summer immersed in this program has been one of the most rewarding periods of my life. Perhaps necessarily, it was also one of the most challenging. Every day started with a daily quiz at 7:30 am. After that, online class would start and go until 1:30 pm. At least six hours of homework always followed. The homework was to translate the assigned Greek; however, we were forbidden to write out a translation. When we got to class, we were called on at random to re-translate the Greek. This forced us to really read the Greek itself when we were re-translating. We translated all of Phaedrus, Thucydides Book II 1-65 and Ajax like this. We did so much translation that I would go to sleep and keep dreaming about parsing, verb forms and syntax questions. For seven weeks I spent each and every day fully immersed in this level of intensity.
There have been few academic experiences where the feeling of learning and the advance of knowledge has been so perceptible as this one. The things that were unknown or difficult to me on one day were comfortable and familiar the next. The program was a transformative experience not only in terms of Greek, but it also gave me a new perspective of what I considered myself capable of learning in any field. I cannot recommend it enough.
Afterwards, I came back to St. John’s and was confidant in my position as a Greek assistant and excited to share with other students the things I had learned throughout the program. I also returned surer that I wanted to continue with ancient philosophy after my time at St. John’s. Although we didn’t discuss much of the philosophical significance of the works we read, I still enjoyed translation immensely. Therefore, since thorough knowledge of Ancient Greek is a requirement of any Ancient Greek Philosophy scholar (and I know I like the philosophic side from my time at St. John’s), I’m glad that I know I would enjoy both the philosophic and linguistic side of that career path.
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Avi Pope ‘26
European Alpine Academy, Ettal, Germany
Course: EAA Summer Academy
Instructor: Hans-Peter Söder
Duration: June 26 – July 22, 2024
Credits: Certificate of Completion
My time in Germany this summer, with the James Loeb Society’s European Alpine Academy, has changed who I am as a person, and I don’t think it would be an overstatement to say it has changed the trajectory of my future as well. Thanks to the Pathways Fellowship, I had the opportunity to participate in the European Alpine Academy this year. This program combines many of my interests from alpine hiking to philosophy, and many things in between. In multiple ways it’s the perfect program for a Johnnie: Hans Peter, the program director, is a Johnnie himself. There was a lot of reading, and a lot of time for contemplation and discussion among students in the long hikes we take in the beautiful Bavarian Alps.
The program consists of three modules: an intensive German language course, an introduction to contemporary German thought and culture, and finally a creative writing workshop in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck. The program collaborates with many artists, teachers, scholars, and more to create a very diverse and holistic program. We discussed ancient Greek texts from the James Loeb Classical library, specifically Xenopohon’s Oeconomicus, and analyzed its influence on Western thought and “natural thinking”. We also had different art projects, ranging from poetry to silk screen printing. The program had a total of eight students. We would cook together, eat together, hike together, and think together. Just like at St. John’s College, learning wasn’t only in the classroom. The program emphasized this idea with our peripatetic learning (and living: we would constantly move throughout Bavaria, staying in different places) that was never even done in a classroom in the first place.
This was my first time leaving the country, and if I hadn’t completed this program I would not have had my future opened up to the possibility of international graduate school. Because of my experience with the University of Innsbruck and touring other schools such as the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the University of Heidelberg (where many great book authors, such as Hegel, taught and worked on their writings), I am now planning on attending university in Germany (or Austria) after St. John’s College. This program also helped me work toward large personal goals: my great-grandfather was a German poet and novelist, with little of his work translated into English. It is my goal to translate his version of Homer’s Odyssey, in which he centers the epic on Circe. While this is a very large task, my time in Germany with this program has cemented this translation as a grand goal that I have for myself.
Adam Powers ’24
CIEL Strasbourg, CCI Campus
Course: COURS SUPER INTENSIFS - FRANCAIS LANGUE ETRANGERE
Instructor: Anna d’Aquin
Duration: 8 weeks
Credits: Course Completion Certificate
My summer in Strasbourg was not only personally deeply rewarding, but also gave me the chance to advance my French abilities and further my interests and future studying French political philosophy.
Studying in Strasbourg allowed me to achieve a level of fluency equivalent to a B2 level, which is the level of fluency recommended to begin French graduate programs. I also had the chance to visit Chateau d’Alexis de Tocqueville, take a guided tour (in French!), and meet and converse (in French) with the present day de Tocqueville family, who invited me to the annual Tocqueville conference next year! These sorts of experiences were only possible thanks to the French I learned through my course of study at CCI and they certainly would not have been possible without the generous support of St. John’s through the Pathway’s Fellowship.
Abigail Pritchard ’26
European Alpine Academy, Ettal, Germany
Course: EAA Summer Academy
Instructor: Hans-Peter Söder
Duration: June 26 – July 22, 2024
Credits: Certificate of Completion
I spent the majority of July in Germany at Mr. Söder’s Alpine Academy. For four weeks, we traveled from Munich to the Ettal Abbey, to Murnau, and even Innsbruck, among many other locations. The core of this program was a German language class we took three days a week for four hours. At St. John’s we learn the basics of Ancient Greek grammar in about a month, so it was easy to throw myself into these German classes. Unfortunately, this skill proved to be both an advantage and disadvantage. Our German instructor was only suited to teach A1 level German, so it was sometimes frustrating when he could not answer the questions we had about higher-level concepts. I think that a strictly spoken German class would have been more fulfilling for me.
Another focus of the program was our seminar reading, Xenophon’s Oeconomics, a dialogue that revolves around household management. Just like for seminar at St. John’s, I was able to deeply analyze the text. This resulted in a very fruitful seminar for all participants. However, I believe that a greater focus should have been placed on the themes of this dialogue if it was supposed to be a framing device for the EAA program. We were not given sufficient time to complete the reading (even by Johnnie standards), and I wished we had more than just one seminar to contemplate the dialogue. This highlights one of my grievances with the Alpine Academy: I believe that the goals for the program were disorganized and unrealistic given the amount of time we had. We were unable to focus on one topic because we were constantly involved in various disparate activities. We were left burnt out and confused.
Unfortunately, I would not recommend this program to other students. While I am extremely grateful to the James Loeb Society and the Pathways Committee for this opportunity, I would not participate in the EAA again. I’d urge students to research similar study abroad programs well. It is a very risky choice to study with a program that has only been in operation for two years. I wish that I had talked more with previous participants of EAA about their experience so I would have known what I was getting into. Once again, I do not take it lightly that I had the opportunity to travel through Germany this summer. I tried as much as I was able with my classmates to get the most out of the experience. However, there may have been too many impediments that stood in the way of a fruitful learning experience and cultural exchange.
Millie Ransohoff ‘26
University of North Dakota, Self-Paced Course: Calculus I
Instructor: Alexandar Sidles
Duration: 3 months, self-paced
Credits: 4 credits
In my first two years at St. John’s, it was undeniable that math and lab were my favorite classes. I was very interested in math and science as a child, but in high school became convinced that I was not going into a math or science-related career. I wanted to take calculus this summer to try and determine whether I am interested in math and science as they are employed today, or whether I just love the history of math and science that we learn at St. John’s.
I had a great experience with the Self-Paced Enroll-Anytime Calculus I course from the University of North Dakota. I found the textbook, written by former UND professors, to be very helpful and well-structured, and the course notes, practice exercise recommendations, and supplemental online resource recommendations from my professor to be helpful as well. I really enjoyed being able to go through the material at my own pace. I think that the ability to read well that we practice at St. John’s transferred well to being able to read a calculus textbook and understand clearly what is being taught.
That ability to read well was useful because the self-paced online course structure requires students to be fairly independent. If I got stuck on a practice problem I would find resources on the internet to help me figure it out. I enjoyed doing it that way, but in case you are someone who wants to take a course of this kind but would not like that, I will also mention that one great (and unusual) thing about the UND online courses is that they are taught by individual professors (not grad students) who make their own lecture videos and course notes, and who are available via email. The other thing to keep in mind about self-paced courses more generally is that there are no deadlines except for the final one, and pacing yourself can be difficult. I really enjoyed the format of this class and would definitely take a class structured in this way again.
I enjoyed learning calculus, and I feel that now I do have an answer to the question that I was asking at the beginning of the summer: I really do like math, and not just math the way we do it at St. John’s. I am not sure yet what exactly this will mean for my career plans, but I am continuing to study calculus this year, and I am seriously considering signing up for Calculus II through UND and working through that class this semester.
The course has not only been helpful to me in figuring out my interests, but has also already been a benefit to me at St. John’s this year in my study of Leibniz in junior math. In what we have read so far of Leibniz’s work, he introduces the same notation and differentiation rules that I learned at the start of the summer. I am particularly glad that I took this course over the summer because I am a math assistant this year, and having a firm understanding of calculus has allowed me to be of far greater assistance to juniors who have come to me for help with Leibniz than I otherwise would have been.
I highly recommend taking Calculus I through UND’s Self-Paced Enroll-Anytime program, and I am very grateful to Pathways and the Career Development office for giving me the opportunity to take this class.
Ali Shawamreh ’26
Heidelberger
Pädagogium
Heidelberg, Germany
Course: German as a Foreign Language (A2)
Instructor: Herr Michael Weigel
Duration: July 1 – July 26
Earned: A2-1 Level, Completed with Certificate
This summer, I had the opportunity to take a four-week German language course at the Heidelberger Pädagogium in the historic city of Heidelberg, Germany. The course was at the A2 level and focused on building proficiency through interactive reading, writing, and speaking exercises. We engaged in a variety of practical activities, including tests to assess our progress and ensure a comprehensive understanding of the material. The experience was truly wonderful, as the course not only improved my language skills but also immersed me in the rich culture of Heidelberg.
The skills I developed at St. John’s College proved invaluable throughout the course. The methods we use at the college to analyze languages are easily transferable to any language study. In my German class, it was especially helpful to have a solid grasp of fundamental language components, as explored in our studies of Ancient Greek everything from grammar and vocabulary to the nuances of pronunciation. While I had some prior experience with the German language before my time at St. John's, my understanding of its rules and structures improved significantly thanks to the discussion-based learning style of our tutorials.
Having completed the course, I am more certain that I want to continue pursuing fluency in German. My academic goals have shifted towards a stronger focus on medical school, and I am seriously considering the possibility of working in Germany long-term. With this in mind, continuing my study of the language will be essential. I still need to complete a few more levels of language classes before I qualify for certain job opportunities in Germany, but the immersion in the language both in the classroom and in everyday life has given me a great head start.
One of the major benefits of studying at the Heidelberger Pädagogium was the chance to explore Heidelberg and its world-renowned university. The beauty of the city surpassed my expectations, and I had the opportunity to meet with professors and other faculty members from the university to discuss graduate school options offered to international students. The classroom at the Pädagogium itself was entirely international students, and I was the only native English speaker. This dynamic greatly enhanced my learning and immersion, as all communication and instruction was exclusively in German. The experience also provided valuable networking opportunities, and I remain in touch with several of my classmates.
Overall, I would highly recommend the courses offered by the Heidelberger Pädagogium to anyone interested in studying German in Heidelberg. While I cannot compare it directly to other programs that Johnnies often attend over the summer, such as the Goethe Institut or the European Alpine Academy, this course was rigorous, cost-effective, and ideally located for my needs. I am deeply grateful to the Pathways Fellowship for making this incredible opportunity possible.
Dohyun Song ‘24
Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
Course: Planning and Design for The Just City
Instructor: Roberto Rocco
Duration: July 1 – July 13, 2024
Credits: Certificate of Completion
After graduating from St. John’s, I had the opportunity to attend the "Planning and Design for The Just City" program at TU Delft in the Netherlands. This program combined lectures, site visits, and workshops on urban planning. I chose this course because I wanted to explore the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning. The program’s location in the Netherlands was particularly appealing, given the country's renowned history of spatial planning.
The lectures covered key topics such as inclusive spatial planning, water management, and governance. I especially appreciated the dynamic discussions during the lectures, where students were encouraged to ask questions and share their perspectives. Hearing insights from people with diverse backgrounds was incredibly rewarding and broadened my understanding of the subject.
In addition to the lectures, we participated in several site visits to Rotterdam, where we developed visions for the redevelopment of Afrikaanderwijk, a small district in the city. Working in groups, we explored the district and chose specific areas to focus on for revitalization. At the end of the program, each group presented their urban planning proposals.
Overall, the experience was unforgettable, largely because of the valuable opportunities I had to interact with professionals conducting research in the field. The faculty members were highly informative, offering practical advice on how to pursue graduate studies, and I gained firsthand insights from their experiences. Through this program, I deepened my understanding of inclusive urban planning principles, especially the importance of integrating marginalized communities in the decision-making process. The workshops also sharpened my skills in collaborative design and problem-solving both essential for my career plans in urban planning.