Scholarships

The Garrett A. Jacobsen fund benefits students in ancient Greek and Roman studies. It pays for opportunities outside the classroom: To study abroad, participate in archaeological digs — even complete summer training in ancient languages.

As emeritus professor Garrett Jacobsen walked into his department’s annual awards ceremony in April 2024, he was surprised by the large number of familiar faces. Students from across his 40-year career had come to wish him well in his retirement. Many also honored his commitment to teaching by making a donation to the new scholarship in his name.

Chris Bungard ’02, a classical studies professor at Butler University, was there to greet Jacobsen that day. “Garrett was so supportive, and I always appreciated his willingness to let me research anything, even my senior research topic: pigs in antiquity,” Bungard said. “He opened his house to us any time our family was in Granville.”

Stephen Kershner ’97 spoke about Jacobsen’s connections outside the classroom: “Garrett helped me get a summer job at a camp for gifted kids, took me to Greece on a travel seminar class, and walked another student down the aisle. He had these personal connections with all of us. That’s the kind of professor he was.”

“I always strived to be a teacher who learned from his students,” said Jacobsen. He was the first classics professor to take his students to Greece, journeys many of them remember fondly.

He found innovative ways and new materials to connect his students to ancient texts. Even Ovid, his personal favorite, was improved upon by reading Ted Hughes’ poetic translation, a fact Jacobsen reflected on in an essay published last year in the collection Ted Hughes and the Classics.

“Ten pages of Garrett’s CV is service to our students, our field, and our community,” said professor Rebecca Futo Kennedy. “The scholarship established in his name honors his service by supporting student activities outside the college doing things he always encouraged them to do.”