Hannah Matangos

Hannah Matangos

Hannah Matangos

What is your involvement on campus?
I serve as the administrative vice president of Gamma Phi Beta sorority.  I hope to get involved with the Secular Student Association this year as well.  I am also a member of the CHSS Student Ambassador Team.  

What is the most exciting aspect of this current academic year?
I am currently interning in DC at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies.  I am a research intern so I explore my interests in German culture and transatlantic policy.   I speak German all day and my language skills have flourished with this experience.  This past week I was part of a German-American transatlantic discussion focused on relations with China. 

What is your favorite undergraduate course at Mason?
There are so many to choose from, it’s quite difficult.  Art History 342: High Renaissance Art in Italy, 1480-1570 with Dr. Lisa Bauman was a favorite.  She tied together all of the artists and innovations from the period into a narrative focused on geographic location.  After exploring various stylistic progressions it left me wondering what could come next.    

Who is your favorite instructor?
The answer is always Dr. Lisa Bauman.  Her enthusiasm for the study of Art History is contagious.  She works to connect with her students on a personal level.  She encourages students to pursue their greatest ambitions.  

Can you tell me about your study abroad experience?
My first study abroad experience at Mason was in January 2015.  I went on a winter break study program to Florence, Italy to study Renaissance Art.  I returned to Florence in June 2015 for a summer internship in an art gallery, Galleria Mentana.  This past fall 2015 semester I studied Medieval Church Architecture and Celtic archeology at the University of Oxford in England.  It was wonderful getting the opportunity to live in a different geographic location, immersed in the local culture, all while pursuing my academic passions.      

What is the most memorable book you have read in the past year?
It would have to be Our Kids by Robert Putnam.  It was enlightening to learn about socioeconomic disparities in America counties.  It was interesting to see correlations between race and gender.  

Do you enjoy reading in your free time? 
Yes, I especially enjoy the classics.  I hope to have an entire wall of old edition classic books one day!