Thank you for your interest in the Classics Department at the University of North Carolina at Asheville! We'd love to welcome you to our campus community, as well as the large community of Asheville. If you've not had a chance to visit in person, or if you didn't see everything the first time, here are some links to local Asheville attractions...
-UNCA Classics Department

Top Ten Reasons to Study Classics
(source unknown, at www.promotelatin.org)

10. "You acquire a certain logic and intuitive sense about language."-Newspaper editor
9. "Classics gives a perspective on life of beauty and greatness of the Roman and Greek cultures--arts, philosophy, literature, leadership, etc." -Owner of business consulting firm
8. "Improved vocabulary, confidence in front of people, better writing techniques. Key item: The discipline I learned has been a critical success factor, especially in the U.S. Military." -Retired military
7. "...strong vocabulary and the ability to write, two qualities which are sorely lacking in many medical students. Practically any term in medicine comes from Latin or Greek, which allows me to memorize complicated words or phrases more easily." -Medical student
6. "I found law school a breeze because of the discipline and hard work habits I developed in Classics. My awareness of linguistic processes and details is a constant strength in reading, and thinking."-Law school/Texas Legislature
5. "Classics taught me the value of discussion without argument; taught me to listen and appreciate other points of view." -Dentist
4. "Latin definitely has helped me. It implies some skills and character traits: attention to detail, knowledge of how languages work, good vocabulary, good writing skills, worldly outlook ...and maybe even wisdom." -Medical editor
3. "I appreciate having studied the Classics so much that I wish that I had the power to influence/persuade the curriculum writers in my district to make the study of Latin mandatory for all students who are seriously college bound. I see the study of Latin as one possible remedy for the plummeting SAT verbal scores." -English teacher
2. "Because of its great breadth for embracing as it does logical thinking, precise analysis, lucid expression and with its overview of human thought and development, history, economics, business and politics, Classics constitutes the single best preparation in general sense for almost any of life's available pursuits!" -Founder of a middle school
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON IS: Impressive credentials for any kind of job!

Famous Classics Majors Past and Present

New: J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels (and now a billionaire--not that we Classicists pay much attention to such matters....)

Porter J. Goss, head of the Central Intelligence Agency
Jane Addams, social worker, founder of Hull House, winner Nobel Peace Prize-1931
James Baker, former Secretary of State
Ben Bradlee, former editor of the Washington Post
Jerry Brown, Mayor of Oakland (former Governor of CA)
Rita Mae Brown, animal enthusiast and author
Willa Cather, teacher, journalist, critic, and author
William Cohen, Secretary of Defense during Clinton administration
W.E.B. DuBois, sociologist, co-founder of NAACP, and author
Sigmund Freud, pioneer in psychoanalysis and author
Betty Friedan, found of NOW and author
Chuck Geschke, former CEO and co-founder of Adobe Systems
Robert Graves, poet and author
Gerda Lerner, pioneer in teaching women's history and author
Toni Morrison, author and winner of Nobel Prize for Literature-1993
Friedrich W. Nietzsche, philosopher and author
James J. O'Donnell, provost of Georgetown University
Matthew Santirocco, Dean of Arts and Sciences, New York University
Lynn Sherr, correspondent, ABC-TV's "20-20"
Teller of Penn and Teller, Magicians
Ted Turner, founder of CNN, Turner Broadcasting, etc.
Nancy Vickers, president of Bryn Mawr College

(information gathered in part from www.promotelatin.org)

What in the WORLD can I do with a Classics degree?

Biltmore Estate

Blue Ridge Parkway

Brevard Skate Park

Chimney Rock

City of Asheville

Grandfather Mountain

Great Outdoors

Looking Glass Rock and Fish Hatchery

Mountain Arts and Crafts

Music Scene

PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

Pisgah National Forest

Sliding Rock

UNCA Trip to Greece- "Three Views of Greece," "Student Views of Greece" (Next Trip 2007)