Students in Rome: Eternal City?, a first‑year Ampersand course, recently took part in a guided visit to the Saint Louis Art Museum to explore the special exhibition on Trajan and Roman imperial culture. The visit offered students an opportunity to engage directly with visual and material evidence connected to themes they have been studying in the classroom.

The SLAM visit was part of a series of experiential learning excursions connected to the Fist-Year Ampersand Program, led by Tim Moore and Chris Erdman. All of the students are members of the Ampersand cohort who will travel together to Rome later this spring, bringing an added layer of immediacy and excitement to their engagement with Roman history and culture. 

During the museum visit, students participated in a guided tour focused on the Trajan exhibition, examining how Roman art, architecture, and imperial imagery shaped—and reflected—ideas about power, civic identity, and the city of Rome itself. Experiences like this help bridge the gap between textual study and material culture, preparing students for the monuments and artworks they will encounter in Rome. 

The trip was also an example of WashU’s broader commitment to connecting students with cultural institutions in St. Louis. As Carolyn Dolan, Community Engagement Coordinator for the “In St. Louis, For St. Louis” initiative, noted, it is especially meaningful to see WashU students engaging with the city’s world‑class museums through academic programs like Ampersand. 

The Rome Ampersand program combines interdisciplinary coursework, hands‑on learning, and international experience, allowing first‑year students to explore Rome as both an ancient and living city. Visits like this one to the Saint Louis Art Museum help lay the groundwork for that experience—demonstrating that Rome’s legacy can be encountered not only abroad, but right here in St. Louis.