Student Spotlight: Ross Burger

What brought you to St. John's?

When I was an undergraduate, my wife told me about a college that she had heard about when she was in high school that she thought would really interest me. That school was St. John's, and after graduation, and subsequent completion of a masters degree in history, I started attending Summer Classics in Santa Fe. At the time, SJC was not offering any studies online.

What semester is this for you and what segment and/or precept are you in (in person or online)?

I am fully online, and this is my final semester before my graduation this May '22. I am in the Politics and Society segment, and I am taking The Histories by Herodotus Preceptorial. I also recently visited the Annapolis campus for the first time for the Graduate Institute low residency weekend in March, and I had the best time meeting classmates and tutors with whom I have shared classes over the past two years on Zoom.

What are you enjoying reading, (if anything) either in your classes or outside the program books? 

This segment has been my favorite so far (the only segment I have not had is History), and all the texts this semester have been profound and enjoyable.

Out of class, right now, I am enjoying The Ride of a Lifetime, the memoir by former CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Robert (Bob) Iger.

What was something unexpected you learned or encountered in your studies?

I think I discovered some fundamental principles about being human this semester, in particular. For instance, what is it that drives someone forward? The answer to that, or at least my conclusions to that question, is something I arrived at this semester.

What are some of your interests, either related to classics or not?

I like yoga and gardening.

When are you graduating?

May 2022.

How do you hope this degree will serve you in your future endeavors?

I feel like I know more after having engaged with these great texts at St. John's by reading and discussing with my classmates and tutors over the past two years. Hopefully I can share some of that with others.