Alumni
Gavin Blasdel
- Class Year 2012
- Degree B.A. Classics
Gavin Blasdel’s mother was a member of the first class of women accepted to (then) Loyola College in Maryland, in 1971. When it came time for Gavin to choose a college, he decided to follow in her footsteps. Gavin was drawn to Loyola’s Classics department, which he eventually declared as his major; he was also a student in the Honors Program and co-captain of the club swim team. Gavin grew up in Baltimore, and so after graduating from Loyola wanted a change of scenery for his master's degree. He earned his M.A. in Classical Studies from Vanderbilt University, after which he spent a year teaching at a Catholic high school in Los Angeles. He then began a Ph.D. program in Ancient History at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is in his final year of coursework. Gavin next plans to spend two years in Greece studying inscriptions (writing on stone) before completing his dissertation on Greek civic communities during the Roman period. His ultimate goal is to obtain a tenure track faculty position teaching university-level courses in his field. “Outside of my research, I have found my vocation of serving others through teaching,” he said. “At Loyola, I was able to try my hand at tutoring college and high school students. These fulfilling experiences prompted me to think seriously about the value of pedagogy and eventually led me to teach at a Catholic school before pursuing the Ph.D. Whether I land at a research institution or small liberal arts college, I can think of nothing more rewarding and enjoyable than educating students and watching them grow in their understanding of the material."
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At Loyola, I learned how to foster meaningful discussion, how to create and contribute to a productive dialogue, and ultimately how to learn from the text, the professor, and my fellow students.