Celebrate the Humanities: Teaching, Learning, Research
Friday, October 3, 2025
The Center for the Humanities honored Dr. Ramón Espejo-Saavedra, Professor of Spanish, with the Nachbahr Award in recognition of Outstanding Scholarly Accomplishment in the Humanities. Dr. Ramón Espejo-Saavedra delivered the 2024 Nachbahr Address, “What Are You Reading? Literature as Engagement with the World.” We also honored Dr. Aaron Palmore, Teaching Professor in the Classics Department, the recipient of the 2025 CFH Teaching Faculty Excellence Award.
A reception honoring Dr. Espejo-Saavedra followed, during which attendees were able to learn more about the summer work of our student fellows and stipend recipients through their poster presentations.
Teaching Faculty Excellence Award
Aaron Palmore, PhD. , Classics Department
Nachbahr Address
Ramón Espejo-Saavedra, PhD. “”
Student Presentations
Loyola Student Summer Research Presentations
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Yassy Ayala, '26: "," - Advisor: Helen Hofling
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Caitlin Cottril, '26: "," - Advisor: Melissa Girard
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Fisk Candau, '26: "." - Advisor: Stephen Park
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Liam Holden, '27: "", - Advisor: Martha Taylor
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Cameron Langlois, '26: "", - Advisor: Graham McAleer
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Moulai Njie, '26: "", - Advisor: Gary Slack
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Elora Paul-Martin, '26: "", - Advisor: Sondra Guttman
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Stephanie Piscal, '26: "", - Advisor: Oghenetoja Okoh
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Melissa Raymond, '26: "", - Advisor: Helen Hofling
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Eva Retford, '27: "", - Advisor: Aaron Palmore
Learn more about Summer Research Fellowships
Summer Internship Recipients
- Ari Acevedo, '26:
- Evelyn Donovan, '27:
- Alex Preusser, '27:
Learn more about Summer Internships
Digital Humanities Summer Institute Fellows
- Katie Blanch, '26
- Abigail Gaughan, '26
- Steven Guy, '27
- Anthony Loia, '26
- Conor Lynch '28
Faculty Mentors: James Bunzli and Oghenetoja Okoh
There was also an opportunity to learn more about a new program, the Humanities Student Conference Grant, which reimburses students up to $1,500 to attend conferences or other similar academic meetings related to the humanities.
Fourth Floor Program Room
Andrew White Student Center
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday, October 4, 2024
This year's event spotlighted oral presentations by the recipients of the CFH Student
Summer Fellowships, CFH Summer Internship Stipends, and the recipient of a CFH Summer
Study Program Stipend.
A reception followed during which attendees learned more about the summer work of
our student fellows and stipend recipients through their poster presentations.
Student Presentations
Loyola Student Summer Research Presentations
- Catarina Broccolino, '26: “ - Advisor: Jane Satterfield
- Daniel Gaughan, '26: - Advisor: Sondra Guttman
- France Jimenez, '25: – Advisor: Karen Fish
- Gitanjali Oommen, '26: - Advisor: Oghenetoja Okoh
- Jason Rowe, '26: - Advisor: Martha Taylor
- Evy Ryan, '25: - Advisor: Gayla McGlamery
- Trevor Sponaugle, '25: - Advisor: Brandon Parlopiano
- Elizabeth Thompson, '25: - Advisor: Stephen Park
Learn more about student summer fellowships
Summer Internship Recipients
- Tess Felter, '25:
- Caroline Kunz, '25:
- Sophia Randle, '25:
Learn more about summer internships
Summer Study Programs
- Liam Holden, from the College Year in Athens program
Learn more about summer study programs
Digital Humanities Summer Institute Fellows
- Cara Lamina
- Katherine Lewandowski
- Eva Retford
Full Presentation!
Past Events & Presentations
Celebrate the Humanities 2023
The Center for the Humanities honored Dr. David Carey Jr, Doehler Chair and Professor
of History with the Nachbahr Award in recognition of Outstanding Scholarly Accomplishment
in the Humanities. Dr. Carey delivered the 2023 Nachbahr Address, "Activism, Humility,
and Collaboration in a Life of the Mind.” We also honored Prof. Andrea M. Leary, Teaching
Professor in the Writing Department, the recipient of the 2023 CFH Teaching Faculty
Excellence Award. This year's event additionally spotlighted short oral presentations
by the recipients of the CFH Student Summer Fellowships, the recipient of a CFH Summer
Internship Stipend, and the recipient of a CFH Summer Study Program Stipend.
A reception honoring Dr. Carey followed, during which attendees learned more about
the summer work of our student fellows and stipend recipients through their poster
presentations.
Nachbahr Address
- David Carey Jr, PhD. "Activism, Humility, and Collaboration in a Life of the Mind"
Loyola Student Summer Research Presentations
- Robbie Buhite: “Echoes of Ancient Greek Lyrics in Catullus’ Carmina” - Advisor: Aaron Palmore
- Sabrina Gurung: “Investigating Paubha: The Disappearing Contemplative Art Tradition of Nepal” - Advisor: Jessica Locke
- Gracie Loeser: “Narratives of Past and Present Suffering in Post-war Germany” – Advisor: Willeke Sandler
Summer Internship Recipients
- France Jimenez: Youth Services team of the International Rescue Committee, Baltimore, MD
Summer Study Programs
- Kate Izzo, San Gemini Preservation Studies in San Gemini, Italy
- Leah Rottler-Gurley, Ireland Archaeology: Castles in Communities program in Ballintober, Ireland
- Jason Rowe, “When Egypt Meets the Aegean,” from the College Year in Athens program
Teaching Faculty Excellence Award 2023
- Andrea M. Leary, Writing Department
Celebrate the Humanities 2022
The Center for the Humanities honored Dr. Martha Taylor, chair and professor of Classics, who delivered the 2022 Nachbahr Address,"What makes an Aristogeiton?" We also honored Prof. Ursula Sayers-Ward, Teaching Professor in Modern Languages and Literatures, the recipient of the 2022 CFH Teaching Faculty Excellence Award. This year's event additionally featured short oral presentations by the recipients of the CFH Student Summer Fellowships, the recipient of a CFH Summer Internship Stipend, and the recipient of a CFH Summer Study Program Stipend.
A reception honoring Dr. Taylor followed, during which attendees learned more about the summer work of our student fellows and stipend recipients through their poster presentations.

Nachbahr Address
- Martha Taylor, PhD. "What makes an Aristogeiton?
Learn more about the Nachbahr Award
Loyola Student Summer Research Presentations
- Tyler Bluestein: “Navigating the World with the Political Compass” - Advisor: Rick Boothby
- Nick Bosi: “J. L. Austin, Immanuel Kant, and the Aesthetics of the Social” - Advisor: Mavis Biss
- Scott Clifford: “Jean Toomer and his Search for Self” - Advisor:Mark Osteen
- Sam Dickson: "Ripper: A Full-Length Screenplay" - Advisor: Lucas Southworth
- Patrick McGinnis: "Paulitics: Persecution, Slavery, and Politics in Pauline Scripture" - Advisor: Zachary Smith
- Tommy Menzie: "The American Flag: A Symbol of Unity or Division?" - Advisor: Paola Pascual-Ferrá
Learn more about student summer fellowships
Summer Internship Recipients
- Tom Mortimer: Office of Rep. John Sarbanes, Maryland's 3rd Congressional District
Learn more about summer internships
Summer Study Programs
- Christina Guerra, Spartan Archaeological Excavation through the Hellenic Education Research Center
Learn more about summer study programs
Teaching Faculty Excellence Award 2022
- Ursula Sayers-Ward, Modern Languages and Literatures
The Big Dig VI - Fall 2021
Nachbahr Address
- No Nachbahr Award was presented in 2021
Loyola Student Summer Research Presentations
- Mhret Alemu: “The Problem with Ethnicity due to Colonial and Cold War Legacies” - Advisor: Oghenetoja Okoh
- Julia Cataneo: “Journey of the Soul: Medieval Cartography between Christianity and Islam” - Advisor: Kelly DeVries
- Dulce Diaz-Alvarenga: “Life in War: A Chronicle of War-Time El Salvador 1970-1999” - Advisor: David Carey
- Stephen Kaiser: “The Earls of Warwick: From Conquerors to Kingmakers” - Advisor: Kelly DeVries
Summer Internship Recipients
- Anna Graff: Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees (MORA), Baltimore, MD
- Cara Kossuth: Fourth District Council Office of Mark Conway, Baltimore, MD
- Claire Svoboda: VR/XR Technology Services, Loyola-Notre Dame Library, Baltimore, MD
co-winners:
- Gerard Blair, Lecturer, Communications
- Brandon Parlopiano, Lecturer, History
The Big Dig V - Fall 2020
Nachbahr Address
- Kathleen Forni, Ph.D. - The Learning Paradox: Why Knowing How Much You Know Matters
Student Summer Research Presentations
- Margaret Irwin: “Maryland Asylum and Training School for the Feeble-Minded”
- Ema-Joanne Brauchler: “Heinrich Bullinger: The Lost Protestant Theologian”
- Madeline Spath: “Isobel Gowdie: A Case Study of Scottish Witch Folklore and Witch Trials”
- Brandon Miller: “Philosophy since Decolonization: A Study of Recent African and Africana Philosophy”
- Shannon Ward: “Recapturing the Adolescent Reader: Discerning Literary Themes that Excite and Inspire”
- Mark Rose: “The Thomist Understanding of Christ’s Corpse Separated from His Soul in the Tomb”
Summer Study Fellowship
- Brittany Romanoff: Kaqchikel Maya Language Training at Mayan Language Institute, June 14-July 25, 2020 - Advisor: David Carey
Summer Internship Recipient
- Mia Conde: Office of the Assistant Attorney General for Public Policy and Legislative Affairs: Washington, DC
Center for the Humanities Affiliate Teaching Award
- Giuliana Risso Robberto, Modern Languages and Literatures
The Big Dig IV - Fall 2019
Nachbahr Address
- Diane Chaffee-Sorace, Ph.D - Poetic Puzzles to Challenge the Mind
Student Presentations
Summer Internship Recipient
Center for the Humanities Affiliate Teaching Award
- Lesley DiFransico, Ph.D., Theology
The Big Dig III - Fall 2018
- - The Life of the Mind: When Class Overwhelms Race and Gender
- Beatrice King, ’19: Gramercy Global in Berlin Germany
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Center for the Humanities Affiliate Teaching Award
- Catherine Savell, M.A., Modern Languages and Literatures
The Big Dig II - Fall 2017
Nachbahr Address
- Jean Lee Cole, Ph.D. -
Student Presentations
- , ’18 - : An Examination of the Effects of Flavian Roma on Flavius Josephus
- , ’18 - : Literary Appropriations of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale in Coleridge’s Zapolya
- , ’18 - The York Road in Mason & Dixon
Center for the Humanities Affiliate Faculty Teaching Award
- Inas Hassan, Modern Languages and Literatures
The Big Dig - Fall 2016
Student Presentations
Panel 1 - Digging Women
- , Summer Study: Troia Archaeological Summer School and Halmyris Excavation
- , Research Fellowship: “The Female Ideal: Representation and Myth in Heliodorus’ Aithiopika”
- , Research Fellowship: “Narratives of Women in the Rwandan Genocide”
Panel 2 - Learning Language and Law
- , “A Corpus-Based Linguistic Study of Greek Tragic Interjections in Roman New Comedy”
- Calix O’Hara, Research Fellowship: “The Transcription and Analysis of Sentences Commentaries”
- Joshua Ziesel, German Study at the Goethe Institut
- , Internship, Hartford Superior Court: The Office of the Public Defender (Judicial District/Part A)
Panel 3 - Digging into Fine Art
- , Research Fellowship: “Mariana Mirroring Penelope: A Case of Classical Influence on Pre-Raphaelite Painting”
- , Internship at Western Reserve Historical Society
Center for the Humanities Affiliate Teaching Award
- Matthew Moser, Ph.D., Theology

Contact
Bess Garrett
Program Administrator
esgarrett@loyola.edu
Dr. Mavis Biss
Director
mlbiss@loyola.edu