Both George D. Krupp, ALB '95, and David Gordon Mitten, James Loeb Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, Harvard University, played an important role in bringing HIST E-1072 The Roman Empire to the Harvard Extension School. It will be offered this spring by Dennis Trout, Assistant Professor of Classics at Tufts University.

The Krupp-Mitten collaboration? It began in Harvard Extension School classrooms in the early 1990s when George Krupp, a successful Boston businessman with extensive real estate interests, decided upon an undergraduate concentration in classical civilizations and enrolled in a number of history, literature, and art courses covering that period. Naturally, he chose CLAS E-241 Greek Vase Painting offered by David Mitten--an Extension School instructor for 20 years, a distinguished member of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and an enthusiast for all matters classical. A warm friendship between professor and student developed over their shared passion, classical numismatics.

In 1996, Krupp created an endowment fund to support courses in classical civilizations, honoring Mitten's distinguished teaching and scholarship. The David Mitten Classical Studies Endowment Fund will be used to support courses in the classics--primarily the history of ancient Greece and Rome, but also the literature, thought, and material culture of the ancient world and related subjects.

Not every Harvard Extension School course offered has as interesting a "story" as this behind its conception, noted Dean Michael Shinagel. Shinagel also added that George Krupp's generous gift, made in honor of a veteran Extension School faculty member and personal friend, is both unusual and welcome, and that the Harvard Extension School will continue to offer outstanding courses in classical civilizations as part of its long-standing educational commitment to the Greater Boston community.