Shawn O’Bryhim came to Franklin & Marshall College in 2004 as an associate professor with a B.A. in Social Studies Education and an M.A. in Latin from Ball State University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Texas at Austin.

He has always believed that research is an inalienable part of a professor’s identity. He has written three books: “Greek and Roman Comedy” (University of Texas Press), “A Student’s Commentary on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Book 10” (Wiley-Blackwell), and “Beginning Latin” (Create Space). He has also authored approximately 30 articles in international journals, contributed chapters to volumes on Greek and Roman history and literature, and delivered many papers at international conferences, one of which earned him the Copernicus Prize from the Polish Neuropsychological Society. He believes strongly that professors and students should expand beyond the often narrow confines of their fields — and he practices what he preaches. His publications incorporate literary analysis, history, art, archaeology, ancient Near Eastern and Greek religion, Greek and Roman law, astronomy, zoology, entomology, psychology, medicine, and numismatics.

Professor O’Bryhim’s body of creative work includes several literary translations of Greek and Roman literature and the musical score for a modern adaptation of Plautus’ “Amphitryo,” whose script was written and performed onstage by his students. He and Professor Ken Krebs from the Department of Physics received a patent for an invention that utilizes UV light to make illegible medieval manuscripts readable again. This “Manuscript Illuminator” was featured in the blog of Scientific American and on NPR.

Professor O’Bryhim’s courses incorporate both traditional scholarship and creative projects that enable his students to discover new talents that they never knew they had, and to use them in their professions. Alumni report that Classics gave them the skills needed to succeed in a variety of fields, including law and medicine.

Shawn O'Bryhim, Professor of Classics