Students who excel in the study of Greek and/or Latin after two semesters are eligible for induction, upon the recommendation of faculty members, into the Classics honor society Eta Sigma Phi, a nationwide student organization that promotes the study of Classics. Consult the undergraduate advisor for details.
The H. Jesse Arnelle Scholarship in the Classics is the result of a realized bequest from the estate of Jesse Arnelle, an extraordinarily successful Penn State basketball and football All-American and an accomplished attorney, who died on October 20, 2020. Jesse Arnelle was elected Penn State University’s first Black student body president in 1954 and the first Black member of Penn State’s Board of Trustees in 1969, where he served for more than four decades. In 1996, he was elected first Black chair of the Board of Trustees. Jesse Arnelle documented his estate gift in 2008 honoring Coach Joe Paterno who played an enormous role in Jesse’s Penn State athletic contributions. For more information, see his obituary.
Consideration for this scholarship shall be given to full-time undergraduate students who are enrolled or plan to enroll in the College of the Liberal Arts, who are pursuing a course of study in the classics, and who manifest promise of outstanding academic success.
At Jesse Arnelle’s express request, first preference shall be given to students who are first-generation college students and who contribute to the diversity of the student body.
Faculty nominate students for The Robert E. Dengler Classics Grant-in-Aid. This is awarded each spring to the year’s “outstanding” student majoring in any area of Classical Studies. The Robert F. Dengler Classics Prize, established in honor of a long-time member of the Department of Classics faculty, is awarded to the student who has compiled the most outstanding academic record in any area of Classical Studies in the year of graduation.
The prize includes a modest cash award and a copy of the commemorative volume compiled by his colleagues in honor of Robert Dengler.
Faculty nominate students for The Judge Benjamin F. Keller Memorial Fund. This prize is awarded to a student who has compiled a superior record in Latin studies in his or her third year. The award was established in memory of Mr. Keller in 1938.
The Reverend Thomas Bermingham, S.J. Scholarship in the Classics was created by Penn State’s football coach, Joe Paterno, honoring his high school Latin teacher. The Bermingham Scholarship provides recognition and financial assistance to full-time Penn State undergraduate students enrolled or planning to enroll in Greek and or Latin studies in the College of the Liberal Arts at University Park.
Bermingham Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. To apply, please complete the following application form: Bermingham Scholarship Application
The Eugene N. Borza Award in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State who are participating in the education abroad program in Athens.
The award was created by and is named for Professor Emeritus of Ancient History Eugene N. Borza, an expert on Greek history-—particularly Macedonia and its rulers—who was a member of the Department of History faculty for many years and also served as Head of the Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies. Professor Borza initiated the Athens Program and directed it for two years.
Faculty nominate students for The Knoppers Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies Study Abroad Endowment. This award is, as its formal title indicates, intended to support undergraduate and graduate student study and research abroad. The award was established by the Knoppers family and several CAMS faculty.
Faculty nominate students for the Robert G. Price Program Fund in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies. The Price award was funded to advance the program goals of CAMS and is often used to support student summer study and research abroad.
This award was established to honor Robert Price, a long-term Penn State philosophy professor with a sincere and informed interest in ancient Mediterranean studies, especially Greek philosophy and literature.
The Paul B Harvey Jr. Memorial Fund was funded to recognize “superior academic success of an undergraduate student … majoring in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies.” The fund was established in memory of Professor Paul Harvey, who died in Rome on July 13, 2014. His teaching and scholarship focused on ancient Republican Rome, Roman religion, and early Christianity. The fund is often used to support the study abroad in Rome and preference will be given to students participating in the department’s Summer Study program.