Internship Spotlight: Alexandra Counter, Center for Heritage and Archaeological Studies

In the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, students are encouraged to discover their passions and turn them into real-world impact. Through hands-on internships across diverse fields, our students gain practical experience, build career readiness, and explore paths that align with their interests. We’re proud to share their stories and the inspiring work they’re doing beyond campus.

Alexandra Counter, a major in Classics and Latin, with a double minor in Archaeology and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations, recently interned as a Junior Assistant Fellow at the Center for Heritage and Archaeological Studies (CHAS) at Montclair, where she organized events for CHAS and worked extensively on tasks for The Villa of the Antonines Project.

The Villa of the Antonines Project revolves around an archaeological site 18 miles from the center of Rome in the small town of Genzano di Roma, Italy. Although previously a neglected historical site, passionate archaeology students, including Counter, work alongside CHSS faculty to unearth a past once lost. Through this project, Counter met the directors, Dr. Timothy Renner and Dr. Deborah Chatr Aryamontri. After falling in love with the work CHAS does, Counter continued to help around the Center and was quick to take the CHAS fellowship after learning about it through CHSS.

Counter accomplished a lot during her fellowship, applying her existing skills while developing new ones. Her training in Latin enabled her to organize bibliographic materials and work confidently with primary texts. Her strong background in ancient history also enabled her to actively engage in conferences. She enriched her archaeological training and understanding of how preservation works with interpretation and vice versa. In addition, Counter gained valuable experience in academic event planning and coordination along with critical thinking skills that have helped her present intricate ideas to broader audiences.

Counter also helped to organize a group trip to the Newark Museum which served not only as an engaging field trip but also as an opportunity for students and faculty to immerse themselves in classical and archaeological collections together. She also helped to plan a two-day conference focused on memory in the archaeological and classical world and used this experience to refine an abstract based on her own impressive research on Roman Law.

This fellowship also complemented Counter’s experience working in an archaeological lab, allowing her to work with professors in the field and connect with peers who shared her interests. Dr. Chatr Aryamontri provided valuable insight, emphasizing that archaeology is more than field work, that it revives the past and brings forgotten stories to light.

“Her passion for archaeology and commitment to mentoring students made a lasting impression on me,” said Counter. “One thing that stood out was how she emphasized the importance of precision and integrity in research, even in the smallest details—whether it was formatting a bibliography or preparing for a presentation.”

Counter plans to pursue a Masters in Classical Archaeology, followed by a PhD. With a strong dedication to her education, she also plans to continue working on her Archaeological pursuits, specifically on Roman sites in Great Britain. She also hopes to one day teach Latin.

Although managing her time could be overwhelming, Counter affirmed her desire to pursue archaeology further. The fellowship gave her valuable experience in both archaeological practice and academia, providing a solid foundation to pursue her future graduate studies in classical languages and archaeology.

Written by Vivvy Gundani