Ashleigh Fata

A Miamian, Tar Heel, and Bruin, she combines her philological knowledge with a fascination for material culture to teach the great wealth of wisdom and joy in Latin. Like the subject of her dissertation in process at UCLA, the Athenian teacher Isocrates, Ashleigh also hopes to instill a critical mindset in her students. In her classes, students encounter Latin not just as the language of the ancient Romans, but also as the primary means of communication for the medieval Church, as well as centuries of philosophers, scientists, politicians, and activists. Antiquity is a mirror: the study of Latin encourages us to be better citizens, aware of the constant intersections between the past and the present.