June 2, 2003

Scholarship award presented at 16th annual Classics Lecture

By Scott Rappaport

Harvard professor John Hamilton delivered the 16th annual Carl Mark Deppe Lecture in Classics on May 28 at Cowell College. The address was followed by the presentation of the Sol and Esther Draznin Memorial Scholarship in Greek to UCSC senior Jonathan Froehlich.

Hamilton previously taught at UCSC as a visiting assistant professor of classics from 1999 to 2001 before moving on to his current position as assistant professor of comparative literature and German studies at Harvard. The author of numerous articles on the Classical tradition, Hellenism, and Greek poetics, Hamilton discussed German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche as a classical scholar, connecting his ideas with the work of Pindar, the great lyric poet of ancient Greece.

UCSC classics professor Mary-Kay Gamel presented Froehlich with the $500 Sol and Esther Draznin Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship fund was established in 1997 by James Draznin, who graduated from UCSC in 1977 with a double major in classical studies and politics. He is now director of planned giving at the Oregon Community Foundation in Portland. The award is given to one undergraduate student each year in honor of outstanding achievement in the study of Greek language and literature.

UCSC associate professor of classics Karen Bassi noted that Froehlich has earned honors in the major for classics and highest honors in the major for philosophy.

"Not only is his knowledge of the Greek language outstanding, but his written work brings his fields of study--classics and philosophy--into the kind of dialogue that pushes the boundaries of each," Bassi said.

The annual Classics Lecture is presented in honor of Carl Deppe, a Cowell student who was killed in an auto accident in 1985. His parents, George and Patricia Deppe, established an endowment, and the first Carl Deppe Memorial Lecture took place in 1987. They attended this year's event and reception, as did James Draznin, students, and faculty including emeritus professor Harry Berger Jr.

"These events testify to the vitality of the classics at UCSC and to the fact that a small but intellectually rigorous program can make a significant contribution to the campus community," Bassi said. "The classics faculty are very grateful to the continuing support of the Deppe and Draznin families on behalf of their program and their students, past and future."

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