Monday, Jan 26, 2026
Drawn to the program by a lifelong love of Greek mythology and a passion for screenwriting, Graham Kohn entered NYU Tisch Special Programs’ Storytelling: It’s All Greek to Me study abroad experience eager to explore how ancient myths continue to shape modern storytelling.
We had the pleasure of hearing more about Graham’s journey through the program in the interview below.
How did the Storytelling in Athens program change your writing?
I think I began to think about writing in a more universal and human way than I have before. Picking up on patterns from ancient texts and seeing how modern writers are still implementing the same tactics gave me insight into what techniques I wanted to use in my own writing.
How did visits to sites like the Acropolis, Delphi, or Hydra deepen your connection to Greek storytelling traditions?
Actually being in the settings of the stories I grew up hearing was incredibly impactful. It’s difficult to fully connect with a place until you’ve experienced it firsthand, and my imagination was undeniably shaped by standing where some of the most famous stories had unfolded. In particular, being surrounded by locals on Hydra offered insight into how stories could naturally emerge from daily life.
Did analyzing both ancient Greek texts and contemporary writers change how you approach your own creative work?
Definitely. I think I gained a core understanding of the most basic but most important building blocks of storytelling. We focused a lot on “the hero’s journey” and investigated how contemporary writers actually still use a lot of the same storytelling beats as the ancient Greeks did.
Was there a particular storyteller, writer, or medium you studied that you still draw inspiration from today?
We learned an extensive amount about the Odyssey, and I definitely still think about storytelling devices used in the novel. Themes of the hero’s journey, love, longing, passage of time, and identity still stick out to me. The Odyssey is a character study and learning more about it influenced the way I think about narrative.
What project did you create for your final assignment, and why did you choose that form (short story, script, TV pilot, etc.)?
My final project was a beat sheet for a feature film. I was originally planning on writing a short script but realized I wanted to tell a full story. Implementing elements of myths we learned about into an entire feature allowed me to use inspiration from the class and create a well rounded and complex story.
What advice would you give future students interested in experiencing this program?
Besides really getting invested in the stories you are telling, I would tell future students to really focus on creating bonds with others on the program and to go and explore all parts of Athens and Greece. The program allows for a lot of free time to explore and taking advantage of that made this experience so incredible. After class we would go to the beach and on the weekends we would plan trips to different islands. We made sure to really immerse ourselves in the culture of Athens, and had so many new experiences. The nightlife was also a blast!
If you had to sum up the Storytelling in Athens experience in one line, what would it be?
Unforgettable, enriching, and so much fun.
Interested in Storytelling: It’s All Greek to Me, in Athens? The application for Summer 2026 is live! The application deadline is February 23, 2026.
Join us for an upcoming information session!