Lacey Lobdell of Cambridge Springs travels to Italy for archaeology project

2016 Feb 9

This past summer Lacey Lobdell of Cambridge Springs was one of five students to travel to Sardina, Italy to participate in an archaeology conservation program. Dr. Mark Graham, professor of history at the College, helped to select and prepare these Grove City College students for the experience.

The project was an inaugural international service-learning opportunity for both the students and faculty. Robert Nardi, one of Italy's most accomplished conservation experts and the director of the Centro di Conservazione Archaelogica, invited Grove City to be a member of a three-college consortium, which includes Connecticut College and Randolph College.

"Aside from the educational and service-learning aspects of the ACI trip, I had the time of my life traveling and forging some of my best friendships. The program is a great way to meet fellow students who are interested in the classics, not just from Grove City, but from colleges across the country," said Sara Cammenga '16.

Participants spent the majority of their time in the small town of Cabras, on the west coast of Sardina, working to clean, conserve, map, and catalogue stone fragments from life-size statues that date back to well before the Greek archaic era. They began their work by learning about the importance of preserving cultural heritage, as well as practicing as the basic technique they would need to use throughout the excavation. Students also spent time getting to know the townspeople and immersing themselves in the local culture.

"The work of these students was exemplary. All of the affiliated conservation experts and professors associated with the program noted our students' hard work, positive attitude, teachability, hardiness, consideration of others, and intellectual engagement," noted Graham.

The project, "The Conservation of the Nuragic sculptures of Monte Prama," was assigned the top award in the Conservation category by the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage and Europa Nostra Awards. In addition, in June, the project won the overall "Public Choice Award," the only one assigned out of the 28 winning projects by the same prize committee for the European Union.

About Grove City College

Grove City College (www.gcc.edu) is a highly-ranked, private liberal arts school that offers a top-quality education in a thoroughly Christian environment for about half the cost of other schools. Founded in 1876, the College is committed to the principles of faith and freedom, a pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers its 2,500 students degrees in more than 50 majors in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering and music on a picturesque 188-acre campus north of Pittsburgh. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and routinely ranked among the best colleges and universities by Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and others. Consumers Digest calls Grove City College a Top Value and Money magazine lists it among the Best Schools for Your Money. It is one of the Top Conservative Schools in the country, according to The Young America's Foundation and a Christian College of Distinction.