The Department of Classical & Ancient Near Eastern Studies is pleased to announce that Eva Wickboldt has been awarded the Ruth M. Kuhlman Undergraduate Scholarship, which supports undergraduate students pursuing advanced study and experiential learning opportunities in Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies.
The award will support Wickboldt’s participation in the UW Classics in Italy program this May, where students engage directly with the art, archaeology, and cultural history of ancient Rome through site visits, museum study, and immersive learning experiences.
Currently studying Classics and Art History, Wickboldt plans to pursue a future career in museums as a curator or collections assistant. In her application, she described the opportunity to study abroad as both academically and personally meaningful. “I have always hoped to travel abroad,” she wrote, “and getting to do so while studying Classics, a subject I am passionate about, will be an incredible experience.”
Wickboldt emphasized the importance of connecting classroom learning with firsthand engagement with works of art, artifacts, and archaeological sites. “It will be incredible to get to experience the art I have been learning about in my classes at UW–Madison,” she wrote. The program’s focus on museum visits, behind-the-scenes tours, and material culture will allow her to deepen her understanding of the ancient world while gaining experience relevant to her professional goals.
Her studies in Italian language and culture have also strengthened her interest in immersive learning abroad. After completing three semesters of Italian at UW–Madison, Wickboldt looks forward to further engaging with Italian art, language, and cultural history during the program.
Reflecting on the broader significance of the experience, Wickboldt wrote that the program “will have a profound impact on me by helping me to relate what I am learning at UW–Madison in my Classics and Art History courses to actual art within museums or in archaeological sites abroad.”
The department congratulates Eva Wickboldt on this well-deserved award and looks forward to supporting her continued studies in Classics.
Undergraduate opportunities are made possible through the generosity of alumni, donors, and friends. We invite you to support access to experiential learning for CANES students.