“Not only is medieval studies the history behind the things that we do every day and the way that we do things, but it’s also a way of thinking. It presents a new perspective,” says senior medieval studies major Mairead Mumford.
In the fall of 2013, Mumford traveled to northern Spain to experience the Camino de Santiago, an important Christian pilgrimage route during medieval times. The trip—which included 13 Notre Dame students and two professors—was made possible by a Teaching Beyond the Classroom grant from the College of Arts and Letters. “It was a huge adventure for us,” says Mumford.
Mumford is also majoring in Irish studies and feels that the two majors “work very well together.” She was able to synthesize her two majors in her senior thesis, focusing on the advice given to warriors in early Irish heroic literature.
“I am so glad that I majored in medieval studies. It’s opened up a whole new world to me,” says Mumford.
After graduation, Mumford will teach middle school social studies in Mobile, Ala., through the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program.
You can also watch this video on YouTube.
