Student Spotlight: An Encounter with Erik!

Erik Schulz is an Anthropology major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is minoring in Archaeology and, like other students, is also adverse to mushroom consumption. He enjoys riding his motorcycle and chatting over coffee. He's excited to travel to Sicily and learn all about Italian mummies. He is most intrigued by the cultural aspects of mummy studies. We tracked Erik down to ask him about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Erik! How did you hear about our program?

I heard about this program from Dr. Reinhard. He came to a class of mine and talked to us about the opportunity. 

What made you interested in our program?
I was most interested because of the mummies. It's not every day that you get to go see them! I am also doing this for the research aspect, because I have hardly any actual field research experience. I thought this program would help me build my skills and open up more opportunities in the future.

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I am most looking forward to learning about the process for making the mummies themselves. I find it very fascinating. I am also really excited to go to Italy and to specifically see Sicily. I have not been yet and I love experiencing new cultures. 

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I am a little nervous about the flight. This will be my first time flying by myself. The second thing that I am axious about are the days that I am going to spend there after everyone else comes back. 

What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
My goals after college are still unraveling for me. I would love to be able to move to another country or to a place that I haven’t been yet and study the people there. I am more of a cultural anthropologist, so I like to study groups, especially the ones that have had little contact with the rest of the world. With my studies, I like to focus on religion and spiritual contexts of groups or individuals. This would be my top goal: to go study people and possibly pursue a graduate degree.  

Is this your first time out of the country?
I have traveled outside the United States a few times. When I was a toddler, I lived in Germany for about a year, and then two years ago I spent a few weeks in England and Scotland.

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
I am in the process of learning Italian. I am using the app Duolingo, and am making progress, but I still have a lot more to learn. 

Who is your favorite mummy?
I cannot really say that I have a favorite mummy, mainly because I do not know a ton of information about different ones. I am excited to learn a lot about these Italian mummies and maybe study other mummies in other places so that I can make a choice about which ones are my favorites. 

Mummy Monday: Meet The Blessed Antonio Franco of Naples

Portrait of the Beato Antonio Franco 

In preparation for this summer's field school, we will now be posting a weekly blurb about the mummies that we will be meeting later this year. To kick off our aptly named Mummy Monday series, let's meet the first mummy that students will encounter upon their arrival in Santa Lucia this July.

Meet the late Monsignor Antonio Franco who lived from 1585 to 1626 and is interred within the Basilica of Santa Lucia del Mela. This individual was beatified in 2013. In life, he spent much of his time in Santa Lucia del Mela, the Sicilian town where we will be spending much of our time during the MSFS this summer. The Blessed Antonio Franco was born in Naples to a noble family on September 26th, 1585. He studied law, receiving a doctorate, and later moved to Rome to further his studies. He was ordained into the priesthood and was named a royal chaplain by King Phillip III on January 14th, 1611. Five years later, he was appointed as the major chaplain of the Kingdom of Sicily, an appointment that came with the Prelature of Santa Lucia del Mela. He was formally installed in this appointment by 1617. He was known as a holy man who wore two chains at all times, ate little, and slept on the floor. He died at age 40 and his remains were deemed to be incorruptible. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI declared Antonio Franco to be Venerable, saying he had lived a virtuous life. The following year, the pope approved a decree that ratified the existence of a miracle, which led to Antonio Franco's beatification. He was beatified by Cardinal Angelo Amato on September 2nd, 2013. Prior to the beatification, the mummy was restored by forensic anthropologist, Dario Piombino-Mascali and restorer Jens Klocke.

The restored mummy of the Beato Antonio Franco.

Mummy Profile: The Blessed Antonio Franco

Lived: 1585-1626 

Portrait of the Beato Antonio Franco

Sex: Male

Occupation in Life: Monsignor

Status: Beatified

Age at Death: 40

Cause of Death: Unspecified

Place of Interment: The Basilica of Santa Lucia del Mela

Societal Importance in Death: Mummy of Religious Significance

When Students Will Meet This Mummy: On the first day of the field school.

The body of the Blessed Antonio Franco coming back to Saint Lucia del Mela on September 15th, 2013,

after the beatification ceremony that took place in the Cathedral of Messina. 

Student Spotlight: Say Hello to Sam!

Samantha Hayek is a Forensic Science major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She loves spending time outdoors, but when she's inside, you may catch her baking yummy treats or binge-watching Netflix. Sam will be graduating after her return from Sicily this summer! We tracked Sam down to ask her about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Sam! How did you hear about our program?

I heard about this program while I was taking Dr. Reinhard's Taphonomy class last fall. As soon as he went through the tentative plans for the field school, I knew it was something that I had to attend!! 

What made you interested in our program?
What doesn't sound interesting about traveling to another country to learn and look at mummies?! The whole idea of this field school is something that really grasped my interest. The process and cultural reasons behind mummification have always interested me and this was a way to learn more about it hands on and actually see first hand some of these things! This trip is giving me and all the other students an extremely rare opportunity to truly learn from some of the best in this field while getting up close and personal with some Italian mummies! 

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I think I'm most excited about getting to see the mummies, crypts, and catacombs! I'm also excited to travel to another country because I haven't had the opportunity to travel outside of the United States yet. I'm also looking forward to being immersed in another culture. Not only will we get to see different parts of Sicily but we will be staying in a small village that isn't the biggest "touristy" spot, so it will be fun to see how the culture is different on its own but also from the other more common touristy parts of the country! And of course with a new culture comes new food which I'm excited to try! :)

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I would have to say I'm most worried or anxious about the travel over there. First off, I've never been on a flight much longer than 2.5-3 hours and I've only flown once alone, so it will be an experience with the long flights and navigating the crazy airports alone! I'm also a little nervous about going through customs in each country since that will be a totally new experience to me as well! 

What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
With a degree such as Forensic Science there are a TON of directions I can go with it and I'm not exactly sure what will be my first step! There are a few career paths I've been leaning towards such as finding a career in a Crime Laboratory or going to graduate school, but I still haven't fully decided on what exactly. Maybe this trip will give me some insight into something I'd like to pursue a little more! 

Is this your first time out of the country?
Yes, it is!

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
I wish I did but I don't. That'll be something I will have to work on between now and the time we leave!:)

Who is your favorite mummy?
I don't have a favorite mummy at the moment...but that will probably change by the end of the summer! 

Student Spotlight: Enter Emily!

Emily Andera is a Biology major at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska. She enjoys coffee, not eating mushrooms (which leaves more for the rest of us), and forensic science. She is looking forward to learning more about mummy studies during her time in Sicily this summer. We tracked Emily down to ask her about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Emily! How did you hear about our program?
I heard about the program through Dr. Benham at NWU and his mentee, Johnica, who was visiting one of our classes.

What made you interested in our program?
Meeting Dr. Reinhard for coffee after staying in contact with Johnica got me interested in the program. I am most interested in the hands on experience dealing with mummies that the school has to offer.

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I am most looking forward to getting hands-on experience dealing with decomposition/mummies and also to understanding how examining the dead can be different in other cultures.

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I am unsure about how I will react to mass graves. I'm also worried about money, but what college kid doesn't worry about money?

What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
My goal is to obtain a job in Arizona as a CSI technician or to be accepted and attend George Washington University for their Masters in Crime Scene Investigation program.

Is this your first time out of the country?
No, I have been to Italy before. I visited about 7 cities on the mainland. I have also been to Mexico.

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
I am currently learning Italian on Duolingo. I know general phrases that a child would know!

Who is your favorite mummy?
My favorite mummy is King Tut due to the mystery that surrounds his death. Mummies have always interested me though since I studied Egyptian history as a child.

Student Spotlight: Buongiorno, Breane!

Breane Morris is a Forensic Science major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She enjoys binge-watching TV shows in her free time. She is excited to be traveling to a new place this summer and can't wait to take as many awkward photos as possible during her adventure! We tracked Breane down to ask her about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Breane! How did you hear about our program?

I heard about the program from Dr. Reinhard while taking his Taphonomy and Pollen Analysis classes at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I immediately knew it sounded like something I wanted to do. 

What made you interested in our program?
The program sounded interesting because it would allow me the opportunity to travel abroad while examining historic mummies, which is super cool!

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I'm most looking forward to experiencing a new country and culture. 

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I'm most worried about losing my luggage on the way there. 

What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
After I finish my undergraduate degree I plan on finding a job relating to forensic science or a similar field. But anything can happen!

Is this your first time out of the country?
This is my first time out of the country.

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
I've started using the DuoLingo app to try and learn some Italian, but I still have a long way to go.

Who is your favorite mummy?
I don't have a favorite mummy...yet. Maybe I could find one on this trip :)

Student Spotlight: Eyes on Erin!

Erin Eickman is a Microbiology major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is excited about her future travels to Sicily and can't wait to embark on this new adventure. She is particularly interested in how the field of biology crosses over with the analyses of mummies. We tracked Erin down to ask her about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Erin! How did you hear about our program?
I heard about this program on the education abroad website.

What made you interested in our program?
I was really interested in this program because it involves a lot of unique courses that apply to biology but that I wouldn’t normally take for my major. And of course, I want to see Italy!

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I’m really looking forward to the adventure! I will get to experience so many new things from food to class work, and I’m just looking forward to doing new things that might be a little outside of my comfort zone!

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I’m a little worried about international travel. I’m also not a huge fan of bugs so I’m a little scared to go into the catacombs.

What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
My goals after my degree are to attend pharmacy school to become an oncology pharmacist!

Is this your first time out of the country?
This is my first time out of the country, and I’m so excited that Italy will be the first country I get to visit!

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
I’m still working on learning some Italian before I go, but I think it’s important to be polite no matter what you are doing so I have one word down: Grazie (thank you).

Who is your favorite mummy?
I really don’t know much about mummies (which is part of why I think this trip will be so interesting!) so I can’t say I know enough mummies to have a favorite yet. I’m sure I will form an opinion once I see some! I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Rosalia Lombardo because she is probably one of the most famous mummies of all time!

Student Spotlight: Meet Mallory!

Mallory Einfalt is a Forensic Science major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She enjoys cooking, trying new things, and like the rest of us going to Sicily, the study of mummies! Mallory love adventure and is looking forward to trying new foods and exploring a foreign country with her fellow students.We tracked Mallory down to ask her about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Mallory! How did you hear about our program?
I heard about the program through my academic advisor, Ben Heinisch. I was talking over my options for study abroad when he threw the mummy school option at me. I immediately knew it was the one.

What made you interested in our program?
For several years I have been fascinated with mummies whether it be on television, in the news, in museums, etc. This trip was going to allow me to get hands on experience working with mummies…something I couldn’t pass up. I also liked the idea of a faculty-led trip through UNL where everything was hands-on rather than going through another program and sitting in classrooms all day. 

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
I am most looking forward to going into the crypts and just seeing the mummies for the first time. I am also really excited that this encounter is happening in Italy because I have always wanted to travel to Italy. The food in that country is another major reason that choosing this study abroad trip was a no-brainer as my favorite hobby is cooking. 

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
I am most worried about traveling through the different countries, especially customs and different airports. The biggest issue I foresee is the overseas flight as I have never been on a plane for more than 3 hours and have a hard time sleeping while traveling.

What are your goals after you finish your undergraduate degree?
Right now I am still in the discovery phase of what I want to do with my undergraduate degree so I do not have any concrete ideas or plans. Hopefully next summer I will get an internship that will allow me to see several different aspects of what I could do with my forensic science degree. I do know that I will not be a finger print analyst because I do not have the patience nor tolerance to be looking through a microscope at lines all day. 

Is this your first time out of the country?
This will be my first time traveling outside of the U.S! 

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
I do not know any Italian. My second language is Spanish. Because the two will have overlap, I should be able to pick up some Italian phrases rather quickly. 

Who is your favorite mummy?
My favorite mummy is Saint Padre Pio, who is a Catholic saint!