Wilks Travel
Grant

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Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Harry Wilks, the Vergilian Society is pleased to be able to offer grants to bring groups of secondary students to the Harry Wilks Study Center at the Villa Vergiliana in Cuma, Italy. The grants will cover room and board at the Harry Wilks Study Center at the Villa Vergiliana in Cuma, outside Naples, for a teacher and group of students for up to a week of study in Italy. The administrative staff of the villa will assist in arranging visits to a selection of Greek and Roman sites in the Naples area (including Pompeii); Rome is easily accessible as well, should the group wish to extend their stay. The sites to be visited can be customized according to the interests of each group, with the understanding that the focus will be the ancient Greek and Roman world.

These seed grants are not intended to cover full expenses, but instead to start the process by which the group will end up at the Villa. The expectation is that the successful applicant will raise the airfare and tour costs within Italy through a combination of parental contribution and fundraising activities. The teacher must be a member of the Vergilian Society in order to apply for the grant.

The Vergilian Society welcomes applications from the full range of secondary school teachers interested in the language and culture of antiquity, including but not restricted to history, social sciences, philosophy, theology, studio art, architecture and art history, as well as Latin or Greek. While some preference may be given to a teacher taking a Latin class and/or to a group from a school that will be making its first visit to the Villa, any secondary teacher with a serious interest in the ancient world is encouraged to apply.

The schools of successful applicants will be expected to join the Vergilian Society if they are not already institutional members. Application forms can be downloaded from the Vergilian Society website HERE. Applications will be accepted, and decisions rendered, on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to work with the Second Vice President of the Society, Kelly Kusch, in preparing their paperwork.

Application for Wilks Grant (updated 2022)

Here is a report from Wayland Academy, recipient of a 2016 grant.