Tall Foundation Scholarship Awarded

Congratulations to Louisa Gunning who is the 2024 recipient of the Tall Foundation Scholarship in Classics. 

Funded by ANU alumni donors with interests in Classics and Ancient History, the objective of the scholarship is to support students and to inspire them to undertake additional research and study in the field. 

“I was very surprised and not to mention ecstatic to be awarded the Tall Foundation Scholarship.” Louisa said. “I was, and continue to be, incredibly grateful for the opportunity. This gratitude has increased through my work on my thesis, as I have utilised Maxeme Tall’s (and Ann Moffatt’s) translations in my studies.”

“The scholarship has helped me pay for my studies and pushed me to live up to the opportunity. I am more determined than ever to make the most of my honours year and achieve the best I can.”

Currently in her Honours year of a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Classics, Louisa’s interest for the subject took her completely by surprise, “I took an ancient history class on a complete whim in high school, and it redefined my passions entirely.”

“Classics is not, as many people might assume, a stuffy old discipline. With new translations and new archaeological discoveries, it continues to evolve. There is so much potential for study within classics. It is not just limited to the study of powerful men. You can choose to study anything.” She said.

The ANU Centre for Classical Studies explores the language, literature, history, culture, and legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome. Teaching language, history and literature courses, students are able to learn about mythology, politics, imperialism, gender, slavery, theory, material culture, and memory.

However, there’s one particular topic that garners Louisa’s interest most: the role of women in society.

“Classics encompasses a massive period during which countless women pushed against the boundaries of their societies. In the ancient records, their voices are treated in many different ways. Those who conformed to the strict expectations forced upon ancient women, such as Lucretia or Octavia, were celebrated for their adherence to these restrictions. Many more women achieved a prominent role within sources only by representation as a threat to the status quo. 

“Their ambition and tenacity were permitted insofar as they did not succeed, warning men against the dangers of allowing women access to power. More frequently still, their voices are forgotten, if not by ancient sources, then by modern ones…There is so much left to unearth in classics, and I love being able to participate in it.” She said.

After finishing her Honours, Louisa hopes to complete her studies with a Master of Secondary Teaching, teaching new generations about all that classics and ancient history might come to mean in future years.

Read more about the Tall Foundation Scholarship here.