A Class of 2026 Lumen Scholar, Bogart is taking her classical studies research abroad and then bringing it back to Elon for the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.
Jo Bogart ’26, an Elon classical studies and creative writing double major, is doing more than just studying classical literature – she’s experiencing the place in which it was written nearly 2,000 years ago.
In June, Bogart studied abroad in Rome, Italy as she worked on a feminist translation and re-vision of Virgil’s “Aeneid,” the Latin epic poem that tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan who fled the fall of Troy and went to Italy.
“The work I’m doing this summer is rooted in my being in Rome,” said Bogart, who is also minoring in women, gender and sexuality studies. “I’m looking at writing in place and the aspect of writing in the place in which the original author of an ancient text, like the ‘Aeneid,’ was written as I tell it in my own way.”
Last summer, Bogart translated more than 1,000 words of the nearly 10,000-word poem for her work, which focuses on retelling the stories of characters Dido, the queen of Carthage, and her sister Anna. Bogart’s interest in the “Aeneid,” and the characters, began after taking Latin in high school.
“We were studying book four, which is the big Dido chapter and it’s a tragedy in a lot of ways because Dido does die in the end and her sister is left with the great repercussions of everything that had built up in the book,” Bogart said. “I’m a younger sister myself and I see a lot of my own relationship with my sibling reflected in Dido and Anna.”
While Bogart, who is also an Elon College Fellow, is doing this work as a Lumen Scholar, Elon’s highest undergraduate research award, she will present during the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) presentation on July 24 in the Snow Atrium of Schar Hall.
SURE provides an opportunity for students to work with faculty and gain meaningful research experience over the summer, without the pressure of other courses during a typical semester. Students apply for the opportunity, which usually takes place during the summer before the junior or senior year.
“Because this has been a new aspect of my Lumen research, it has been so fascinating to be able to do this,” Bogart said. “I feel very fortunate that I can be here and do this work and receive a stipend from Elon. I feel like a very lucky undergraduate student to experience this and I’m excited to share my work at the poster session.”
Undergraduate research and global engagement are two of the five Elon Experiences. Students are expected to complete at least two of the experiences before graduating. Bogart is also working closely with her faculty mentors from both majors: Kristina Meinking, professor of classical languages, and Margaret Chapman, senior lecturer in English.
“Once I started talking about my interest in classical, feminist retelling in Virgil’s “Aeneid” and the Dido and Anna characters, there was a pretty instant connection where they both were so truly interested in the interdisciplinary work I was seeking between classics and creative writing,” said Bogart. “There’s just this great match of energy when discussing what I’ve been learning and seeing with them.”