Dulio Sorel di Donato ’27 was inspired by a mythology course during his freshman year to double major in a field of study that explores the languages, history, culture and legacy of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Dulio Sorel di Donato ’27 quickly declared a major in finance after enrolling at Elon University, his path inspired by a fascination with financial markets that began in high school with job shadowing at an investment firm.
At the same time, Sorel di Donato had long been interested in ancient Greek and Roman history. What better time than your first year in college to enroll in a springtime Classical Mythology course?
That class with Brandon Baker, an instructor in world languages and cultures, only deepened Sorel di Donato’s interest – and he is now a double major in two fields of study that complement each other.
“I originally enrolled in classical mythology out of curiosity, but I quickly realized that studying antiquity challenged the way I think,” Sorel di Donato said. “Reconstructing ancient societies from fragmented texts requires patience, interpretation, and critical reasoning, and I found that really engaging.”
That skillset will be put to use this semester when Sorel di Donato studies abroad in Sorrento, Italy, exploring the ancient cultures that first sparked his interest in classical studies. In Sorrento, Sorel di Donato will complete Religions of Classical Antiquity, Archaeology Field Study, History of Art from Ancient Greece to the Italian Renaissance and Elementary Italian.
Although the courses do not directly relate to finance, he views them as complementary to his business education. Studying art history and archaeology requires careful analysis and attention to detail, skills needed in finance.
“Once Dulio expressed his interest in the major, I sat down with him to show him it was quite feasible and explained to him how the classical studies major encourages students to think critically about materials,” said Baker, who has since taught Sorel di Donato in two more courses. “Dulio continually demonstrated his ability to digest the information given to him and then use it to help reconstruct the larger picture. He continues to exceed expectation as a classical studies major by having thoughtful opinions and insights.”
Many classical studies students double major with requirements for the major designed to give students accessibility while complementing other interests.
Sorel di Donato said that he has seen several connections between his business coursework and his studies in classical studies.
“Both finance and classical studies require you to identify patterns and interpret information within a broader context,” Sorel di Donato said. “Whether I am studying ancient political systems or modern financial markets, I am learning to think critically about how institutions function and evolve. Studying ancient civilizations has made me more aware of how economic and political decisions shape long-term outcomes.”
Beyond the classroom, Sorel di Donato has participated in several global experiences that have shaped his perspective as both a humanities and business student. He interned at Maybank Securities in Singapore on the client engagement team and traveled to Australia and Vietnam through the Business Fellows Program.
“These global experiences have fundamentally changed my perspective on the world. Experiencing cultures, landscapes and traditions so different from my own have challenged many of my assumptions and sparked a curiosity to learn more about how different societies approach economics, politics and daily life,” Sorel di Donato said. “Studying abroad in Italy feels like a natural extension of that. I am excited to examine the foundations of Western Civilization firsthand to better understand how ancient systems continue to influence modern-day economic and political structures.”
Sorel di Donato will return to the United States for a summer internship at Wells Fargo on its Corporate Risk Workout team. He recalls being asked during his interview how classical studies relates to finance and he explained that dense readings in the classical studies directly help him understand financial reports and extract information.
“It is 100% achievable for students who want to pursue multiple disciplines at Elon, and there is a support system in place,” Baker said. “If students are creative and possess a willingness to explore new ideas and practices, the faculty at Elon have a strong support system in place to make sure the students successful in any enterprise they pursue.”