Randolph-Macon College student Anshu Sharma ’21, a physics and Latin major and education minor, has been awarded a National Latin Exam (NLE) New Latin Educator scholarship. The NLE committee, which promotes the study of Latin, awards scholarships to students who are earning a degree in Latin or classical studies with the intent to teach Latin. Sharma was selected from a national competition.

The New Latin Educators Scholarship
The five recipients each received a $2000 New Latin Educators Scholarship and will receive funding to attend one American Classical League Institute (ACL) from the end of their junior year in college through their third year of teaching. The ACL is committed to the “preservation and advancement of our classical inheritance from Greece and Rome.” During the Institute, students will attend sessions on ancient authors, technology and pedagogy.

Uncovering Connections
“It’s an honor to receive this scholarship, which will support me in my goal of becoming a Latin teacher,” says Sharma. “I feel that Latin, the humanities and the sciences are more connected than students initially realize, and I hope that I can help uncover some of these connections in my future career as a teacher.”

A Bright, Inspiring Scholar
“The Classics Department is thrilled that Anshu has been awarded the NLE New Latin Educators Scholarship for 2018,” says Classics Professor Bartolo Natoli. “This scholarship has historically been quite competitive—only five are awarded per annum—and has been reserved for bright, inspiring scholars dedicated to Latin and pedagogy. Anshu fits this description beautifully and is well-deserving of this award. He is beloved by all in our department, and we know he will be a tremendous asset to any students who are lucky enough to learn from him in the future!”

From Latin Academy to RMC
Sharma chose Randolph-Macon after attending the Virginia Governor’s Latin Academy, which has been hosted for the past six years at RMC. During the Latin Academy, which is held for three weeks each summer, high school students are immersed in the culture of the Greco-Roman World while studying topics that are rarely taught in secondary schools or college.

“I received an acceptance email within a week of sending in my application to RMC and came to campus to interview for the Noyce Teacher-Scholar program,” says Sharma. “That December, I received a phone call from President Lindgren—yes, the president himself!—informing me that I was being offered the Noyce Scholarship. During my high school’s spring break, I visited campus and sat in on a physics and Latin class, and, since I enjoyed spending time in the physics and Latin departments and was excited about the Noyce Scholarship, I chose to attend Randolph-Macon.”

The Noyce Teacher-Scholar Program
The Noyce Teacher-Scholar program, designed for students interested in pursuing a career as a high school chemistry, biology, or physics teacher, is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Noyce Scholars receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship; special housing on campus; training in the newest educational technology; and special field placements with the best chemistry, biology, and physics teachers in the area for student teaching and observation. Noyce Scholars also engage in summer internships and are given job placement and support after graduation.

Campus Life, Close Connections
Sharma serves as treasurer of the Student Virginia Education Association (SVEA), a professional pre-service teacher organization. He gives back to others through Circles Ashland, an organization that works toward resolving poverty, and through RMC’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. Sharma also works as a mathematics tutor in the Higgins Academic Center.

“At RMC, students and faculty communicate so easily with each other,” says Sharma. “For example: A few weeks before I started at RMC, I saw one of Political Science Professor Thomas Badey’s students, Caroline Kouneski ’19, at a football game, and, since I was wearing a t-shirt from a high school Model United Nations (MUN) conference, we struck up a conversation about MUN. A few days later I received an email from Professor Badey saying that Caroline had given my name to him and asking me if I wanted to join the class’s trip to National Model United Nations (NUMN) in D.C. I got to attend my first college MUN conference, an experience completely different from high school MUN. I don’t think this sequence of events would be possible at every college!”