Faculty of Arts

Andrew Dryden

My name is Andrew Dryden. I was born and, aside from a few years in the United States, have lived my whole life in Winnipeg. I graduated from Grant Park High School in 2005 and spent a number of years taking different courses at the University of Winnipeg, switching my major three times. Eventually I lost interest in University and dropped out. After taking a year off I returned to the U of W and luckily found my passion for studying languages and ancient history. 

Because I wish I had known about the Classics department at the U of W, I have made a large part of my mandate as the president of the Classics Students’ Association to make as many people aware of the program and its many benefits. The types of evidence you are required to analyse and argue create one of the best curriculums for developing critical thinking skills, and even one semester of study on ancient Latin or Greek will improve the writing of even the best English student. These skills are remarkably beneficial because regardless of whether you major in Classics or not, they are abilities that will help you in everything you do for the rest of your life. I believe university is more than merely vocational training. I believe university should, first and foremost, help you grow mentally and teach you how to think. Classical studies will aid anyone in doing this and, in my opinion, more so than most fields of research.

The department itself is also of impeccable quality. Depending on how languages, course selections, and other factors are valued, the undergraduate program at the U of W has been ranked between #1 and #3 in all of Canada. Each and every professor here takes a vested interest in the wellbeing and performance of their students, making time outside of class whenever they can and discussing marks or assignments with those who wish to improve their marks.

One other highlight of the department is its student association. The Classics Students’ Association takes great pride in being able to provide tutoring and academic help to any student seeking it and plans a wide array of extra-curricular social events. This type of peer support is especially effective since many are unaccustomed to analyzing the ancient sources and texts required for study, but find it much easier and enjoyable if it can be explained by a fellow student who has had to develop these skills as well. Outside of the classroom, the group organizes multiple activities, fundraisers, and social events every year which are a great place to get out and have fun with people who share an interest in ancient history and other fields with you. We are also examining avenues of instituting a peer-reviewed scholarship for students taking classics courses here at the U of W.

I have loved my time at the U of W, as wayward as my path has been, but it will eventually end. Fortunately, a classics degree is seen as a valuable commodity in many different fields. Personally, I am still examining my options but intend to either continue my education pursuing a master’s degree in ancient warfare, delving into the field of education at the high school level, acquiring a law degree, joining the Canadian armed forces, or a combination of the options above.