paddleboarding in Lake Atitlan

Meet our new Program Coordinator, Nicole Coscolluela!

Hello, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and express how excited I am to start at Duke Classical Studies. It is an opportunity to return to my academic roots and be surrounded by ancient history and archaeology once again.

Woman removing dirt from a trench
Excavating in Macedonia

I studied Classics and Archaeology at Johns Hopkins University, completing my undergraduate thesis on Etruscan burial patterns under Herica Valladares (now at UNC-Chapel Hill) and Emily S.K. Anderson. My fieldwork experience took place in North Macedonia. I was fortunate enough to receive a full scholarship from the University of Edinburgh to study for an MSc in Human Osteoarchaeology, where I conducted post-excavation skeletal analysis on Classical to Medieval remains in Nessebar, Bulgaria. So, most of my fieldwork was in Eastern Europe, a region of the world that deserves more visitation than it currently receives! 

Start of a hike in the Philippines
On the way to the tattoo artist Whang Od in Buscalan, Philippines

I moved to North Carolina directly from Scotland to do AmeriCorps, a break from academic burnout. Working at Wake County Health and Human Services led to a shift in academic interest in museum research to diverse audience engagement and accessible educational programming, which brought me to study Public History at North Carolina State where I focused on digital humanities.

In between NCSU and Duke, I was the project coordinator for the Rocky Mount Mills Project for the Community Histories Workshop at UNC-CH; head of the North Carolina Science Museums Grant Program, DNCR's multi million-dollar grant for nonprofit science museums; and, I was part of United Way of the Greater Triangle's Community Impact team, helping run its grant program. 

Conversations with me will usually revolve around my animals, homesteading, native plants, food, and books. Outside of work, you will find me at book club, at yoga or the gym, working the farmers market, or on the trails with my dogs (I have 3!). I am heavily involved in the food and drink scene in the Triangle. On the side, I work production and tastings for Durham Distillery, and I work farmers markets and events for Honeygirl Meadery. Additionally, I am passionate about environmental justice. I am on the Community Advisory Board for the Switchback Gear Collective, a women-led nonprofit aiming for accessibility in outdoor recreation. I am also on the Engagement Committee for the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association (ECWA). Furthermore, as a member of the Durham County Beekeepers Association, I am regularly at their information table at events in the area. I can guarantee that you will see me randomly off-campus! I stay very busy to say the least...

Follow my adventures on Instagram @bullcityhomesteader.