John B. and Mary K. McDiarmid Lectureship
In 2000-2001 the Department of Classics initiated a series of lectures in honor of former Professor John McDiarmid and his wife Mary. John came to the University of Washington in 1949 and as Chair was instrumental in expanding the graduate program to include the Ph.D. in 1960. Mary not only supported John in his life's work but also made a significant contribution to the vitality of the department in her own right. In recognition of their dedication to the success of the department and of the crucial role they played in its growth, we have established the John B. and Mary K. McDiarmid Lectureship. For further information about Professor McDiarmid's life and career, click here.
As part of the lecture series, each visitor not only gives a public lecture but also offers a separate seminar to our graduate students to discuss trends in the field of Classics and current issues pertinent to our discipline. The visits have been both successful and highly popular, particularly as the graduate students choose the speaker and run the event with the assistance of our graduate program coordinator.
Thanks to the generosity of many donors, we have reached the first critical stage in the process of fully endowing the lectureship: we have received the $25,000 needed to set up the endowment. In order to fund the annual event fully, the endowment will need to ultimately grow to $75,000. If you would like to help us reach that goal by making a contribution in honor of John and Mary, please contact the chair, Deborah Kamen.