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Nine students recently had the opportunity to share their knowledge of Byzantine art with students and faculty from institutions nationwide at the Undergraduate Conference on Medieval and Early Modern Studies held Dec. 2 at Moravian College.
Students from the Byzantine Art course, taught by Ida Sinkevic, associate professor of art, prepared a 45-minute roundtable discussion on “Unlocking the Byzantine Icon.” The presentation and accompanying PowerPoint slideshow explained the origin, meaning, function, and legacy of Byzantine icons on later cultures, including contemporary times.
“Participation at a conference was an important experience for my students that could serve as a model for active learning, as it engaged and challenged students far beyond the requirements of the curriculum,” says Sinkevic. “It was a true challenge, an exercise in active learning, and intellectual engagement that expanded well beyond the classroom. I am so proud of them.”
After writing the session proposal that was accepted by the conference committee, the students conducted extensive reading under Sinkevic’s supervision and met several times per week outside class to plan their presentation. They also worked together to create the PowerPoint presentation containing key points and a selection of images.
Meagan Martino ’07 (Croton On Hudson, N.Y.), a double major in art and economics & business, gained a new appreciation for Byzantine art through the process of creating such an in-depth exploration of its meanings and purpose.
“Christianity is so widely acknowledged today that it is difficult to imagine a society at the very beginning of the Christian faith,” she explains. “Byzantine art is often overlooked in art history courses because I think it’s safe to say that Byzantine images are not nearly as visually stunning as the works of Michelangelo or Raphael unless, of course, you understand the context in which they were made. I gained a lot of respect for Byzantine art in preparing for this presentation as well as participating in Professor Sinkevic’s class.”
For art major Caroline Conway ’08 (Winchester, Mass.), her first conference presentation was an exciting event. She enjoyed meeting with students and faculty from institutions across the country, including Holy Cross, Bucknell, University of Louisiana, Oberlin, and Princeton.
“I didn’t realize how much research and preparation would be involved in such a large-scale presentation,” she says. “Each person in our group came from different backgrounds and majors, and we were able to work collectively as a team, creating a presentation that all of us felt confident in presenting. To have this experience is a great example of how a small, liberal arts college like Lafayette can give you this unbelievable opportunity.”
Mark Adamiak ’07 (Paoli, Pa.), an A.B. engineering major, did extensive work on the PowerPoint presentation and believes that maintaining a fun group atmosphere made the hard work more enjoyable.
“The [students] we had in our group were really great, and I don’t think the conference would have been as much of a success if we didn’t enjoy working with each other as much as we did,” he says. “Dr. Sinkevic was wonderful, and we thank her for all her help. The event was a great learning experience, the staff at Moravian was very helpful, and our audience asked very good, insightful questions.”
Other participating students included art major Megan Averbuch ’07 (Centerport, N.Y.), English major Leah Corrigan ’07 (Sharon, Mass.), art major Ashley Maida ’07 (Pittsburgh, Pa.), history major and Marquis Scholar Douglas Maryott ’07 (Rockville, Md.), chemistry major Jillian Nickel ’07 (Wallingford, Pa.), and English major Caitlin Thompson ’08 (Cooper City, Fla.).