Faculty News - Professor Jacquelyn Williamson

MA student Courtney Marx was invited to accompany her thesis advisor Professor Jacquelyn Williamson on a research trip to Egypt in March 2019. Marx’s thesis focuses on the artistic portrayal of the daughters of the king Akhenaten, who are known collectively as the Amarna Princesses. To support her research, Marx received grant funding from the Art History Program and from the Global Education Office. 

Marx writes of the experience, “This was my first time going to Egypt, although I had dreamed of going ever since I was 10 years old. Dr. Williamson and I spent time in Cairo, Luxor, Sohag, and Amarna. I was able to see the Great Pyramids of Giza, Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Seti I at Abydos, the Red and White Monasteries, the site of the Great Aten Temple at Amarna, the Tomb of Akhenaten, and so many more amazing sites. Although the majority of my research took place at Amarna, being able to visit these other sites around Egypt allowed me to contextualize what I have learned about ancient Egypt, and it provided me with a much more nuanced view of their culture and history. I can honestly say that my research would have been much more superficial had I not had the opportunity to experience Egypt and Amarna firsthand.” 

Marx is currently employed full time with the American Research Center in Egypt’s Washington, D.C., office. She volunteered for the center’s annual meeting in April 2019, and the connections she made led to her current position.