Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Jonathan McLaughlin graduated from Georgetown in 2007 after working with Professor Keesling, and went on to Oxford University (pictured) to do a Master's program. He is currently working on his Ph.D. at University of Michigan. (Photo: courtesy of Jonathan McLaughlin)

By Gabrielle Matthews

Jonathan McLaughlin graduated from Georgetown in 2007, but he remembers assisting with Professor Keesling’s research and working with her as instrumental to his continued studies in ancient history.

“By working with Professor Keesling, I was introduced to a number of important resources for the study of ancient history, particularly regarding the publication of inscriptions,” he noted. “I also learned about the challenges and difficulties in using such inscriptions. By the time I was working with Professor Keesling, I had already applied to and was later accepted to graduate school, a Master’s program at Oxford University for Late Antique and Byzantine Studies. Nevertheless, her insight and guidance were important in my initial decision to apply as well as in my later selection of Ph.D. programs.”

McLaughlin is currently working on his Ph.D. in the Interdepartmental Program in Greek and Roman History (IPGRH) at the University of Michigan, studying the recruitment practices of the Roman imperial army and its demographic effect on the population of the empire. At Georgetown, the native of Broomall, PA, helped Professor Keesling with her cutting edge research. His main responsibilities included aiding her in the collection of publications of inscriptions of ancient Greek statue bases, particularly of statues that depicted familial groups.

Although he has moved on to his own research, at University of Michigan, Professor Keesling’s Alma Mater, he remembers working with her with fondness.

“She's a great professor who's always willing to help. I had her in a number of courses (archaeology and Greek), and found them both to be quite rewarding. Overall she's an excellent scholar, a helpful advisor, and a dedicated teacher.”

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