Wayne State's Michele Valerie Ronnick Chosen to Lead NEH Summer Institute Lecture Series

Wayne State's Michele Valerie Ronnick, Professor in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, has been chosen to lead sessions at an NEH Summer Institute at Grambling State University, in Grambling, Louisiana from May 26-June 13, 2014. Titled, "Exploring the Margins: Enhancing the Teaching of Ancient Greek Drama at Historically Black Colleges and Universities," the institute's goal is according to Professor Hugh Wilson, one of the principal investigators, to "explore the continuing relevance of Greek drama to society at large," as well as "foster a greater awareness of the black literature and drama influenced by the Greeks."

Along with handling sessions on the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, Professor Ronnick will examine the history of black classicism and discuss the influences of the Graeco-Roman heritage upon African or African-American intellectuals and artists with the 15 faculty fellows, all of whom teach at historically black colleges and universities. She will be joined by three accomplished classicists: Professor Steven Scully of Boston University, Professor Ruth Scodel of the University of Michigan and Rush Rehm of Stanford University.