Marissa Funk
My name is Marissa Funk and I am a junior at Montclair State University. I am majoring in Humanities and minoring in Myth Studies and History. My love for learning about the past started from a young age when I was gifted a book about Greek mythology. I instantly fell in love with the stories and wanted to learn more. I am especially interested in studying the effect the past has on our modern values and its influence on the media we consume. I am pursuing a master’s degree in Museum Studies and am looking forward to furthering my knowledge in these topics.
Elizabeth Gaidimas
I’m Elizabeth. I live in Ridgewood, which is in Bergen County. This is me in a yarn store: I absolutely love to knit. I’ve also gotten into D&D recently, which is a lot of fun. Besides that, I also love to read, especially YA sci fan.
I work in a library and want to be a librarian. Although you would think that working in a library is boring, there’s never a dull moment. I will (hopefully) be starting my master’s in library and information science this spring. This factors into why I chose to become a Humanities major. I’ve been involved in libraries either volunteering or working for nearly a decade now, having started in eighth grade. I’ve known that this is what I want to do, and the broad basis of knowledge from the Humanities major helps me with that.
Christina Ruth
I’m a senior at Montclair State University majoring in History and Classics with a minor in Latin. Raised on the Southeastern cusp of the Hudson River Valley, my love of history began at a young age as I learned about the local, American Revolutionary War histories around me. I’m particularly interested in the field of Public History and research how the public learns and conceptualizes the history of the United States outside of the classroom. My research seeks to evaluate how non-historians critically think about monuments, memorials, museums, and how public narratives may aid or afflict the American memory of the country’s history. En route to graduate school, I will be working towards my Masters in Museum Professions before moving on to a PhD. An avid hiker and traveler, I was a field member of Montclair State’s Villa of the Antonines’ Archaeological Field School, where I learned about the legal and archival process of finding, cataloging, and preserving ancient Roman artifacts. During my free time, I can be found drinking a cup of coffee, on a walk, or planning my next road trip.
Ellie Schofield
My name is Ellie Schofield and I am a senior at MSU who is majoring in Anthropology with minors in Archaeology, Myth Studies, and Classics. Growing up, I was fascinated with ancient stories, fantastical tales, and the people who created them. As an aspiring archaeologist and student of anthropology I am interested in the ways in which myths from around the world have shaped both the past and present human experience. The histories and legends of ages past are still being told, I have discovered, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings to George Lucas’ Star Wars, DC’s Wonder Woman, and Marvel’s Thor; and I want to know how and why.
Devin Torster
My name is Devin Torster, and I am majoring in Humanities and Professional Writing, with a minor in Myth Studies. I am also currently the president of the Montclair University Gamers Organization on campus as well. I love to play board and video games and watch movies, all the while exploring the worlds that they create. Through my majors and minor, I hope to someday be able to write similar stories and create similar worlds to those that inspired me through my academic studies.
Casey Masterson
I combined the Myth Studies minor with a major in German and a second minor in creative writing. I have always had an interest in mythology, but was amazed to discover how influential it is in contemporary media. This is what compelled me to take on the myth minor. I’ve learned how to apply this knowledge to my own creative writing, which has helped instrumentally with my work’s depth. I now see mythology in almost all media I consume, and have rediscovered my love for the subject.