Why the Ancient World Still Matters: Annika Currell’s Journey from Wheaton to Oxford and Notre Dame in the Study of Classics

As young adults step into their professional lives, it’s easy to see the coming years as a series of résumé lines to conquer. Slowing down and allowing success to grow out of one’s own formation isn’t always easy.

This profile is part of a series highlighting young Minnehaha alumni who are pursuing their work with thoughtfulness and purpose. Rather than chasing short-term wins to build their LinkedIn profiles, these alumni are asking deeper questions about who they are becoming—and making choices that reflect the passions, personality, and gifts God has placed within them.

Annika Currell '21

University of Notre Dame
Classics

Spot on the Map

I'm at the University of Notre Dame pursuing a master's in classics. I've also completed a semester abroad program run by Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford and earned a degree in classical languages from Wheaton College.

Why Classical Languages

I chose the classics because it wraps all of the humanities into one major: grammar, literature, religion, philosophy, and history. I want to be a teacher. My teachers supported and encouraged me—not only academically but in general, in a way I also want to nurture others.

Forming How We Read Scripture

Jesus lived under the Roman Empire, in a very different cultural context, and the New Testament was written in Greek. These factors influenced how Scripture was first heard and understood. We need people doing the hard work of understanding the ancient world and its context or we risk misreading Scripture or simply making it say what we want it to say.

Learning to Learn

The foundation that MA Latin and classics instruction provided helped me learn how to learn languages. It also taught me perseverance. When I'm struggling with a text I can't understand—looking up every word wondering why I'm reading it—I return to that foundation. I know that if I persevere I will be able to read it eventually. That same foundation shapes how I hope to teach others. 

Finding Community

At Wheaton, I found community in my Bible and theology classes. At Oxford, I found a student group that helped me connect with people who shared my faith. At Notre Dame, I've found a church where I can prioritize worship and growth in Christian community. 

Word of Advice

Find Christian community in spaces that will nudge you to grow beyond what you learned in high school. Go deep. Look for opportunities to combine your academic interest with your faith and dig in there. Don't stay stagnant.