Past is prologue: For Isabelle Ly ’27, an Integral and Classical Languages double major, it was her love for literature and Latin that ultimately brought her to SMC. “Saint Mary’s, with its faculty and programs, can be a fantastic place for you to explore your unique interests,” she says. / Photo by Francis Tatem
In Their Own Words: Isabelle Ly ’27 on the Summer Internship That Opened the Door to a Career in Education
SMC’s Liberal Arts Bridge Program gave her the opportunity to intern at an education nonprofit organization that fuels her interest to “follow my curiosity wherever it led.” After graduation, Ly hopes to offer the same inspiration to others.
In Their Own Words is a series in which we introduce you to the Gaels you need to meet—students, alums, faculty, and staff—and let them tell their stories, in their own words.
Meet Isabelle Ly ’27: A third-year student double-majoring in the Integral Program and Classical Languages and minoring in Creative Writing. She spent the summer of 2025 interning for the Center for Independent Research on Classical Education, or CiRCE Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on providing robust classical education training and curricula to students and educators. It was an opportunity made possible by Saint Mary’s Liberal Arts Bridge (LAB) Program, which offers financial assistance for Liberal Arts students like Ly seeking underpaid or unpaid internships.
A natural fit
My older sister, Gabrielle Ly ’24, went to SMC and studied Art History, Studio Art, and Classics. Because of her, I was already very familiar with the campus and faculty. I used to come to campus to see her while I was in high school, visiting her classes and attending events. I really grew to love campus; I think being surrounded by natural beauty creates a great physical environment for encouraging curiosity and exploration.
Choosing a major was a bit of a challenge for me, only because I’ve always had so many interests. When I was younger, I was set on becoming a professional ballet dancer. But then, in high school, I took a series of Great Books classes that shifted everything. As I looked at Saint Mary’s, I considered becoming a philosophy or literature major so that I could stay in the Great Books tradition. But I couldn’t choose—and that’s when I learned about SMC’s Integral Program.
Integral really solidified my choice to attend Saint Mary’s, because the program sounded like all my dreams come true. The faculty are incredibly earnest and invested in students’ individual development. And I could study a wide variety of disciplines, write all the time, and explore the questions that intrigued me.
The LAB boost—and the CiRCE experience
When my sister was at Saint Mary’s, she completed a summer program for art conservation at UCLA and received a LAB scholarship for it. So, when I began looking for internships, she encouraged me to apply for LAB as well. It just so happened that the internship that piqued my interest—at the CiRCE Institute—was unpaid. My LAB scholarship was the primary reason I was able to do this internship in the first place.
CiRCE stands for the Center for Independent Research in Classical Education. They provide training and support to classical educators, host intensive Latin and Greek programs, and create curricula and supplementary materials. Under the Director of Research Development, I am working with one other intern on our own project, building it from conception to publication. We’re crafting a coloring and activity book in Latin to go alongside Legends of the Round Table, a collection of Arthurian legends published by CiRCE in 2023.
“Classical education opened the door for me to learn in a manner that excited me, allowing me to follow my curiosity wherever it led. I think that's reflected in my choice to study at Saint Mary’s College.”
Coloreo ergo sum
The majority of our coloring book is being written in Latin, which aligns with what’s known as the “natural method.” Essentially, rather than having students learn from a textbook in a typical classroom setting, the natural method fully immerses them in a language, similar to the way a child in a bilingual household would be. The goal is for them to learn instinctually, by hearing, reading, and gradually understanding the language.
Creating this Latin coloring book has given me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the production process and how much work goes into creating a product like this. We began by researching similar approaches, obtaining a quote from the publisher, and then conducting multiple rounds of research and meetings. Ultimately, my co-intern and I decided to complete the majority of the book ourselves, illustrating the coloring pages, writing the text, and creating the activities.
We’re still working on it, actually; we plan to finalize the book and prepare it for publication this winter.
As part of the internship, I also had the opportunity to attend CiRCE’s annual conference in Charleston, South Carolina. My sister and I grew up using their curriculum, and now here I was: attending lectures and seminars, meeting authors and educators, and getting to dive into classical education research on a deeper level.
A classical upbringing
My parents were born and raised in the Philippines, immigrating to the United States in the 1990s. Growing up, my mom attended a strict private school in Manila, which focused on rote learning, memorization, and just facts, facts, facts. She wanted a richer, more vibrant education for her own children. So she decided to homeschool my sister and me.
My mom was drawn to classical education, which is designed to let the student lead, treating them as a person with a natural instinct for seeking knowledge. It’s all very hands-on and can look quite different from public schooling. I began learning Latin in third grade and Greek in high school, which nurtured my love for language. Most of my “textbooks” were actually primary texts, you know: the Aeneid, the Symposium, Ivanhoe, Democracy in America, Persuasion. Some of my favorite memories are going on field trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium or doing science experiments in the park.
Classical education opened the door for me to learn in a manner that excited me, allowing me to follow my curiosity wherever it led. I think that's reflected in my choice to study at Saint Mary’s College.
The road ahead
Before this internship, I was singularly focused on teaching. But this internship has taught me that there are many more ways to work within education than just teaching, from resource development to educator training.
And for others who, like me, are passionate about Great Books and classical languages, I think it’s so encouraging that classical education is being revitalized. There will always be people like us. I’ve met so many at Saint Mary's, within the Integral Program or Classical Languages department, as well as outside of them.
Saint Mary’s College can be a fantastic place for you to explore your unique interests. It has been for me.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)
Maddy Hunter '27 is a Student Writer with the Office of Marketing and Communication at Saint Mary's College. Write her.
