The MSSA Mission Statement
The MSSA is an official UNM organization comprised of graduate andundergraduate students from a variety of disciplines and majors whohave a common interest: medieval studies and all related topics. The MSSA welcomes students from any major or discipline who are interested in the medieval period.
We have a two-pronged mission. We are an academic organization, whose aim is to promote scholarship in medieval studies, both within the UNM community and the greater Albuquerque area. We do this by:
- Arranging biannual colloquia of student papers that cover topics ranging from Anglo-Saxon poetry to modern interpretations of medieval motifs.
- Community and high school outreach programs, peer mentoring, and lectures.
Our second mission is to have fun! We sponsor an annual medieval film festival. Past films have included the television mini series The Mists of Avalon, The Court Jester, and The Anchoress. We also sponsor parties and dinners throughout the year, giving students and faculty an opportunity to get together socially.
As part of UNM's medieval themed homecoming week, we will be showing the film Beowulf: Prince of the Geats on Thursday, October 22 at 6:00 pm in SUB Fiesta Room A&B. After the film, MSSA members will lead a discussion on the film and on the portrayal of the medieval world in film. Read more about this event here: http://mssa.unm.edu/homecoming2009.htm.
On March 11 - 13, 2010, UNM will be hosting the Vagantes Conference, a traveling Medieval Studies graduate student conference. Please visit the Vagantes website (www.vagantesconference.org) for more information.
We welcome your interest and participation the Medieval Studies Students Association. Please feel free to email us mssa@unm.edu with your questions or comments!