Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ms. Akhand’s lifelong passion for Latin and Classical history has brought her to Virginia. She studied both Latin and Biology at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. While she was there, Ms. Akhand also worked at the National Latin Exam, as well as for the university as the departmental Latin tutor. In 2018, she was accoladed with the Classical Association of the Middle West and South Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Classical Studies.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‍‍​​‌‌‌​‍‌​‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌​‌‍‌​​​‌‌‌‍​​‌‍​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Ms. Akhand graduated early with an honors degree, and published her thesis The Roman Dogma of Animal Breeding: “Bark”aeological Findings Reveal the Effects of Selective Pressures on Roman Dogs in the Philomathes Journal. As a Classicist and educator, Ms. Akhand is wholeheartedly committed to sharing her unwavering enthusiasm for the beauty and significance of the ancient world. Ms. Akhand likes to draw comparisons and share anecdotes that humanize ancient figures that we typically see as very distant from ourselves, creating a connection between the past and the present and making the subject matter more approachable. She firmly believes that creating a sense of community and strong bonds within the classroom is vital to fostering a love for any subject.

In her spare time, Ms. Akhand enjoys cross-stitching, sewing, playing video games, and spending time with her husband and two cats.