Originally from Spain, Mencía Casas Neo is a senior and double major in Classical Studies and Art History at JCU. She has been the Events Coordinator for the Art History Society since 2023.
What made you decide to come to JCU?
I am from a small village in Galicia, Spain. When I was 16, I applied for an exchange program and got a scholarship to study abroad for a year in the US. I was eager to see what life was like outside of my small town. But it was canceled because of COVID. My mom helped me find JCU online, because I didn't know that there were American universities in Europe.
I had never traveled before coming to Rome and I’m thankful for this opportunity because it has made me the person that I am today. Studying in Rome has taught me a lot about myself. For example, I realized that I have a certain level of bravery, as I left everything behind at 17 to study in a foreign country where I did not know anybody, and very little about the language or the culture.
What inspired you to choose a BA in Art History and Classical Studies?
I once took an Ancient Greek course in high school, and I fell in love with it. It made me switch my entire academic path because originally, I wanted to either become a detective or go into forensic science.
I started at JCU as a Classical Studies major, and I did not take any art history classes my first semester. I took a course on Ancient Rome with Professor Massimo Betello that I found interesting because it taught me about how a community shapes their identity and sense of self. I then added the Art History major.
The Art History department at JCU has changed the way I think about life. It has changed the way I see and interact with the world around me. I now see that everything is connected. For example, you cannot separate art and politics because everything feeds off each other, everything has a sort of dynamic relationship. All kinds of art play an important part in helping to fully understand the world around you.
Is there a particular professor or class that has had an impact on you?
Professors Inge Lyse Hansen, Sharon Salvadori, and Sarah Linford not only because of the course content, but also the way they teach, as well as the conversations they have with students outside of class. I took great classes like Pagans, Jews and Christians with Professor Salvadori, Art as Nation Building with Professor Linford, and Introduction to the History of Ancient Art with Professor Hansen.
You’re the Events Coordinator for the Art History Society. Can you tell us a bit about what that role involves or any interesting experiences?
I have been the events coordinator for three years. It has been a great experience working with such a nice club and group of people. Last semester, I started a series of events that I'm really excited about. It’s called Walk with the Prof, and it allows you to get closer to your professors. The professors show students around their favorite hidden corners of Rome. Professors from the Art History and the History and Humanities departments have participated so far, and we're trying to expand it as much as possible. This semester, we're having two more editions of the event, one with Professor Linford and one with Professor Betello, as part of our collaboration with the History and Humanities Society.
As a senior, what are your plans for the future after graduation?
I plan on continuing to work on my research with Professor Betello. We're doing a project on advertisements in ancient Pompeii. Our goal is to present it at a conference in Greece in the near future. I am thankful to Professor Betello, because my work with him has given me so many opportunities and has opened the door for me to experience what the professional world is like.
I have also been looking at digital humanities, because I'm currently taking web design courses, and I'm loving that. I want to shift towards the digital part of it all.
