LOYOLA MARYMOUNT – Rev. William J. Fulco, S.J., Ph.D. 
National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies

“The men can be far more vulnerable and open if they are led that way.”

From unearthing ancient artifacts to rubbing shoulders with celebrities, Father William Fulco has done it all. A world-renowned archeologist, Fulco has traveled the globe studying the world’s oldest civilizations. It was his reputation as a scholar, religious leader and linguist that led director Mel Gibson to hire Fulco as a religious consultant and the Aramaic translator for “The Passion of the Christ.”

A SigEp faculty fellow since 2002, he teaches an archeology course largely comprised of brothers that has come to be known as “the SigEp course.” Every other year, a group of SigEp undergraduates accompany Fulco to Megiddo, Israel, to participate in an archeological dig. He is a 2011 recipient of the Citation and the Loyola Marymount Outstanding Professor of the Year Award.

Building the ideal RLC: “The type of educational experience that happens in the RLC context should be special, not simply one of the courses that would be offered elsewhere in the university or college. Ideally, the courses offered by the fellow should engage the SigEp students on a more personal level. Because of the trusting nature of the brotherhood, the men can be far more vulnerable and open if they are led that way, and can confront and engage with material that challenges them to reflect on themselves in ways they would not do otherwise. In short, the course material and its presentation should address the whole person, not just ‘minds.’ Courses that are just data transfer do not take advantage of the real potential of the RLC setup.”

Why he serves: “My initial attraction to working with the men of our California Chi Chapter was observing that our brothers were emotionally available to one another on a very deep level. They had one another’s back.”

Proudest moments: “Many of the classes I teach are dominated by SigEp men and intended largely for them. The university sees this as a plus, viewing the men as a leaven in the academic process. I’ve also been enabling the men to take advantage of summer archaeological dig programs in the Old World and subsidizing them through donations. The men of California Chi SigEp are now well known at several archaeological sites in the Near East and Europe, and the directors look forward to their ongoing participation.”