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NAU in Greece: Soulcraft and Statecraft

NAU in Greece: Soulcraft and Statecraft took place in Athens and Nafplio, Greece June 10 to June 24, 2025.

What does ancient philosophy have to say about the world we live in today? For 25 Northern Arizona University students who traveled to Greece in the summer of 2025, that question became the lens through which they explored one of the most historically rich countries in the world — and one of the most enduring intellectual traditions in human history.

NAU in Greece: Soulcraft and Statecraft — Connecting Ancient Greek Philosophy to Contemporary Ethics and Modern-Day Politics is a faculty-led study abroad program organized by Northern Arizona University. Melissani Foundation was proud to support the logistical coordination of this program, which ran from June 10 to June 24, 2025, across two iconic Greek destinations: Athens and Nafplio.

The Program

Over three immersive weeks, students engaged with the foundational ideas of ancient Greek philosophers and explored how those ideas continue to shape contemporary ethics, governance, and political thought. The program combined academic seminars with on-the-ground cultural and historical experiences — a format designed to bring philosophy to life in the very landscape where it was born.

The academic program was led by:

James Joiner, Teaching Professor of Philosophy at NAU
Julie Piering, Interim Dean of NAU's College of Arts and Letters and Richard A. Wood Professor of Philosophy
Vasilis Kokkinos, Program Co-Director
Aretousa Glynou, On-Site Assistant

Athens & Nafplio, Greece

The program's itinerary made purposeful use of both cities. Athens offered students direct access to the monuments, museums, and sites that form the bedrock of Western civilization — from the Acropolis to the Ancient Agora, where Socrates himself once walked and debated. Nafplio, a charming coastal town in the Peloponnese and Greece's first modern capital, provided a more intimate setting for deep academic reflection.

During their days in Nafplio, the group was hosted at the Harvard University's Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS) Greece, where they used the lecture hall for their seminars for two consecutive weeks.

Study abroad is more than an academic exercise — it is a transformative learning experience. Programs like Soulcraft and Statecraft demonstrate what becomes possible when rigorous academic content meets immersive cultural engagement. Students do not simply read about democracy, ethics, and political philosophy; they walk the streets where these ideas were first debated, argue their relevance in seminars housed in centuries-old settings, and return home with a deeper understanding of both the ancient world and their own.

At Melissani Foundation, this is precisely the kind of experience we exist to support and expand — making sure that more students, including those with limited financial means, have the opportunity to experience this life-changing experience.

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