The Egypt semester officially began Tuesday, Sept. 6 with three lectures from Professor Bill Needle of Cape Girardeau and a movie, Terrorism and the Kebab. 

Many themed events are planned for the semester. 

“It is awesome because…we chose Egypt,” sociology major Michael Ori said. “Egypt fascinates me; the sphinx and all.”

Sept. 8, students will  sample an authentic meal in the Mayes Dining Hall prepared by local Egyptian women. 

Two musical performances are also slated for the semester. 

“Haram! Unveiling the Mystery of the Forbidden Dance,” a performance by Sahar Sami, the director of the Academy of Egyptian Dance, will consider the secrets of the dance and how it has survived to modern times. 

The theatre department will produce a play, “Antony and Cleopatra,” which tells of the power struggles in ancient Egyptian history. 

Nine different movies will be shown over the course of the semester, focusing on Egyptian history and culture. There will even be readings from The Book of the Dead from teachers on campus. 

“[The] Book of the Dead does not only include stories of medicine and life but also of love stories and documented events of extrasensory perception,” Needle said.