Why Should you Declare Neo-Hellenic Studies as your Minor?
Hello! My name is Katerina Kostopoulos, and I have recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University, with a major in Political Science, and a double minor in Philosophy and Neo-Hellenic Studies. When I first started McGill University, I was advised that I would excel the most in my studies in an area I am most interested in. Declaring Political Science as my major, and Philosophy as my other minor, was a rather systematic choice, seeing as I knew I would continue on to law school. I believed that these disciplines would provide me with the necessary knowledge, and a solid foundation for the direction of my educational career going forward. My Political Science and Philosophy courses challenged me to think critically about several issues, which will definitely be useful as I begin law school this coming fall. Nevertheless, I was very excited when I found out that there was a Neo-Hellenic Studies minor offered at McGill. I was even more excited when I was informed that I would be able to declare a double minor rather than having to choose between Philosophy and Neo-Hellenic Studies.
Not only did I excel academically in the courses under my Neo-Hellenic Studies minor, but I also experienced a genuine excitement about learning. The program awards a graduating student with a fellowship, granting them a $1200 prize that is used towards the student’s travel expenses to Greece. Personally, this fellowship has combined three of the things I am most passionate about: the material I learned from the courses I took under my Neo-Hellenic Studies minor, writing/ blogging (expressing myself through words), and last but not least, Greece, the country my parents and grandparents are from, and the country that stole my heart after my very first visit.
Before I proceed any further, I would like to thank Professor Anastassiadis, as well as the members of the Modern Greek Studies Committee for providing me with the opportunity of traveling to Greece, and embarking on a Grand Tour of my own. If you are a student at McGill, I highly recommend that you declare Neo-Hellenic Studies as your minor as well. Aside from having a chance of winning the fellowship, you will be given the opportunity to study the ancient Greek and modern Greek languages, mythology and history, and modern Greek society. As we all know, Greece currently finds itself in a predicament: a major debt crisis, therefore I have decided to use this as the focal point of my research which will further be expanded upon in subsequent pages.