Matthew Hufford is not a declared Humanities major, but the humanities’ importance to his studies in the College of Science has brought him far enough in the field that he is almost finished with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics. Hufford, who has been pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, has a soft spot in his heart for Latin. He began learning the language in eighth grade because his grandmother suggested it would help him better understand English and learn romance languages.

“Studying the classics and Latin have enriched my life both academically and personally—personally through adding to a deeper understanding of literature and art in general, and academically by vastly improving my understanding of the grammatical underpinnings of language and its structure,” Hufford says. “In addition, an understanding of Latin will enable me to read many texts, some of which haven’t been translated into English.”

The critical thinking skills students gain in humanities courses are another advantage Hufford has seen develop through his coursework in the Classics department.

“I hope to incorporate math with biology in graduate school,” Hufford says. “My study of the classics has impacted these plans by having contributed to my personal development and by having made me more ready to analyze any situation.”

Hufford will graduate in Spring 2012.