When Emily Yoder is not studying classical literature, she’s hitting the slopes in Colorado, Vermont, and Canada.
Originally from Niles, Michigan, Yoder (CAS’24) came to Boston University to study comparative literature after being inspired by the subject in high school. Over the course of her time at BU, Yoder’s studies have taken her to the British Library and Oxford University. On campus, she’s the president of the BU Ski and Snowboard Club and is the vice president of the World Languages and Literatures Association.
After graduation, Yoder is heading back to Oxford where she will pursue a master’s degree in ancient Greek and Latin literature. She then hopes to pursue a PhD in classical studies or English literature.
Arts & Sciences caught up with Yoder, who is majoring in comparative literature and minoring in Latin and history.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Arts & Sciences: Can you tell us about your senior honors thesis?
Yoder: I’m currently working on a year-long research project about the influence of the Roman poet Virgil on the poetry of American transcendentalist and Massachusetts native Henry David Thoreau. I’m working under Dr. James Uden, who is the chair of the classics department. It’s been a fantastic way to synthesize everything I’ve learned over the last four years, while also branching off in my own direction and exploring my own unique interests.
Tell us about studying abroad at Oxford University.
I chose to study abroad at the University of Oxford because of their humanities-centric intensive writing program. Oxford allowed me to work one-on-one with tutors. Every week, I would complete a substantial reading list and write an essay answering a prompt given to me by my tutors. Then I’d defend it to them in these intensive and challenging 15-minute sessions where they would challenge my arguments from every possible angle. It was such an amazing time for writing growth and I became more involved in critical research as well. Experiencing Oxford’s culture is such a unique experience. They have so many academic traditions that are very different from what we have in the U.S., like Sunday formal dinners, rowing races, and the Oxford Union Debating Society.
What did you research through UROP?
I spent the last summer redesigning the Global Medieval Studies program’s website under Dr. Sunil Sharma, who is the current director of the Global Medieval Studies program. This project was to build an accessible research database for students to use and access in their medieval research. I also compiled a faculty directory so students could be more easily matched with research mentors. An overarching question of the project was whether the field of medieval studies is becoming more globalized and less euro-centric. I determined it is. A big part of this project was prioritizing non-European sources like Northern Africa, the Middle East, and regions that haven’t been touched on as much in the current scholarship.
Can you tell us about your extracurricular activities?
I am currently the president of the BU Ski and Snowboard Club, which is one of the most fulfilling communities that I’ve encountered at Boston University. It’s a super welcoming club open to people who are expert ski or snowboarders, have never skied or snowboarded, and anything and everything in between. Jay Peak is our old favorite, but we also do trips out west. We went to Banff, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies over winter break and we just got back from Winter Park, Colorado. It’s been a great way to get off campus and take a break from the city bubble with people who like hanging out in the mountains and enjoying nature.
I’m also vice president of the BU World Languages and Literatures Association. We have meetings and discuss global literature and we normally have some kind of international food. Everyone comes together to share their literary interests in a very informal and relaxed setting.
You mentioned that you went to London with a class?
Yes, two other comparative literature majors and I got to go to London to see an exhibit at the British Library about Alexander the Great and the manuscript tradition. It was so special to be able to spend a weekend with two other comparative literature majors at the British Museum, the British Library, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was incredible to see the manuscript from the cover of our book in real life, from around the fifteenth century. It was an amazing experience.
Hear more from Yoder about her BU experience in a new Senior Spotlight video.
Interview by Shelby Rose Long (COM’27)