Return of the Polis, Starring History and Polsc Faculty

Department Faculty and Ben Kunkel star in a new feature in the Star Wars series: "Return of the Polis." Here's the poster (created by a freshman Ashbrook Scholar, who has been studying Xenophon's Education of Cyrus).

Brian Le Studies Abroad in Seoul, South Korea

Brian Le is a History, Political Science, and International Political Studies triple major (!), as well as an Ashbrook Scholar, who is studying abroad this semester at Handong Global University in South Korea.  He’s studying lots of American legal and constitutional thought as well as Korean foreign policy and even some Chinese political theory.  Happily, he says that South Koreans are less worried about North Korea than Americans seem to be.  

He recently spent a week in Seoul, where he visited gates and palaces from the Chosun (Joseon) Dynasty, which ruled for five centuries from the late 14th Century until 1897.  One of the nearby photos shows Brian at the inner gate to the throne plaza at the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The large statue of a golden man is King Sejong (the Great), the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty, who is credited with the creation of the modern day Korean language and the Hangul alphabet. 

Brian says he’s signed up for a trip to the DMZ and will send pictures when that happens. 

New Ashland Prof Quoted in Forbes Magazine

We're a little late getting to this, but Dr. Greg McBrayer, who joined the Department this year, was quoted by David Bahr in Forbes Magazine in May.  Mr. Bahr writes a weekly profile on the classics of the Western Canon for the business magazine and this article was on Xenophon.  Here is what he quoted Dr. McBrayer as saying:

Insofar as Xenophon was a student of the philosopher Socrates, the Anabasis shows the practical benefits of a philosophic education. Indeed, Xenophon seems to indicate his success depended on the education he received from Socrates. But I enjoy the book, above all, because it shows us that philosophers can be more than just pasty-faced wastrels!

AU Students Partner with Ashland Middle School to Launch 1girl Chapter

On October 10, AU History Visiting Instructor Dr. Emily Hess and AU students Halle Hershberger, Katie Fossaceca, and Morgan Miller, will launch a local chapter of the afterschool program 1girl at Ashland Middle School.  Lead by facilitators like Halle (also chapter president), Katie and Morgan, 1girl "empowers middle school girls to develop the skills they need to be successful" including public speaking, creative problem solving, critical thinking, goal setting, and conflict resolution skills. 

In the words of Dr. Hess, "1girl is an incredible organization that not only pours into young, undergraduate women, but equips them to facilitate a leadership program for middle school girls.  I'm very excited to see how this intergenerational mentorship program will change the lives of middle school girls and undergraduate women this fall."

From Left to Right:

   Katie Fossaceca (junior political science major)

   Morgan Miller (junior political science and philosophy major)
   Halle Hershberger (senior history and political science major)

   History Visiting Instructor Dr. Emily Hess

   Ashland Middle School Counselors Wendy Packard and Kymberle Irwin

Ashland's is the only college chapter in Ohio outside of The Ohio State University.  To learn more about the unique opportunities AU's History and Political Science Program provides, visit our website.

Study Tour to Israel Information Meeting

Study Abroad Grants

AU in Germany Interest Meeting