After Graduation

Building from the courses offered in the program, Sarah Kolba ’10 developed her own interdisciplinary major in medieval and renaissance studies. She is pursuing a master’s in art history at University of Illinois in Urbana–Champaign.

A Phi Beta Kappa and Marquis Scholar, and the winner of both the Frederick Knecht Detwiller Prize in Art History and Eugene P. Chase Phi Beta Kappa Prize, Kolba has long held a love for the medieval period. “I had become interested in medieval history in high school,” she says, “but I wanted to orient my studies more broadly towards medieval culture as a whole, including art history and literature.” Her studies and experiences at Lafayette proved the perfect stepping stone for her future. “I had the opportunity to present several papers at undergraduate conferences and symposia, and the guidance of Ida Sinkevic, associate professor of art, helped me to develop the skills for this important area of professional academics.”

Today, Kolba is studying the late-15th century manuscript Life and Miracles of Saint Louis for its unique emphasis on Louis’ female relatives in its visual program. She credits Lafayette President Daniel H. Weiss with honing the skills she uses daily. “[His] seminar on Pilgrimage and Crusade in Medieval Art inspired me to think about medieval art in new ways,” she notes. “It also introduced me to the riches of studying illuminated manuscripts.”

Kolba concludes: “Medieval studies offers a chance to examine issues such as cultural interaction, the significance of objects, and the formation of identity, and to explore different approaches to understanding these topics and questions. Many of the facets of the medieval world are relevant to our own 21st century global society and can help give us new perspective on current issues.”