Grace Gleisner, a double major in archaeology and classical studies (with an ancient language and literature concentration) at the University of Evansville, first became interested in archaeology in grade school after hearing the story of the late Dr. George Bass, a marine archaeologist and family acquaintance. That early spark grew as she pursued history, languages, and research in middle and high school, ultimately leading her to combine her passions through her current studies.

This summer, Gleisner joined the Mt. Lykaion Excavation and Survey Project in Greece at the invitation of her professor, Dr. Rebekah McKay, a Greek archaeologist and the project’s registrar and director of finds. For seven weeks, she worked across three teams: topographical survey, archaeological excavation, and laboratory analysis.

On the survey and excavation teams, Gleisner took coordinate measurements of trenches and artifacts and excavated on the mountain top ash altar to Zeus, at an elevation of 4,500 feet. In the lab, she sorted and interpreted pottery, catalogued finds, made database entries and met with excavation supervisors to review the pottery from the trenches. Her work allowed her to contribute to the excavation process from start to finish.

Alongside excavation work, Gleisner also studied advanced ancient Greek. She took an upper-level translation course with her professor and studied modern Greek with fellow excavators in the evenings. Funding from the Phi Kappa Phi Pioneer Award specifically helped cover the tuition cost of her Greek class.

Balancing a rigorous course with full-time excavation work was challenging, but the experience proved incredibly rewarding. It gave her the opportunity to engage with a variety of ancient texts and discuss them one-on-one with her professor.

Gleisner immersed herself further in Greek culture through conversations with local students, listening to Greek music and attending a village awards ceremony where she and her peers were honored with pins and certificates.

“Overall, being on the excavation made this the summer of a lifetime and I’m so grateful that I got this experience,” she said.

Looking ahead, Gleisner hopes to combine continued archaeological work with a career in secondary school teaching. She was inspired by the dedicated teachers she had while attending underfunded and understaffed rural Christian schools and hopes to teach subjects such as Latin, history or literature to help students appreciate how the past can shape the present. To prepare for this path, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in classical archaeology to gain additional academic, excavation, and teaching experience.

“My time on the Mt. Lykaion Excavation and Survey Project provided me with experience that will make me a competitive candidate in future graduate school and excavation applications,” she said. “Receiving the Pioneer Award from Phi Kappa Phi helped cover the costs of tuition for my Greek course, and I am honored and grateful to have received this award.”

For more information about the Pioneer program, including eligibility and selection criteria, visit www.phikappaphi.org/pioneer or contact Kelli Partin at kpartin@phikappaphi.org.