Current Graduate Students

Photo of Riley Borst-Neidhardt
Riley Borst-Neidhardt

Other Degree(s): B.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University 

Research Interests: Greek and Roman drama, classical mythology, ancient religion and ritual, gender dynamics in ancient theatre, classical reception, women in the ancient world

Personal Interests: backpacking, rock climbing, travel, musical theatre, baking, singing, reading 

Lawrence Cohen

Other Degree(s): B.A. in Government from Wesleyan University and J. D. from Georgetown Law School

Research Interests: The decline of the Roman Empire, Roman archaelogy, travel to important sights in Greek and Roman history, Jewish life in the classical world

Personal Interests: Practicing law and serving as a professional trustee, running, piano, tennis, writing travel itineraries, annoying my three children

Photo of Devon Derouen
Devon Derouen

Other Degree(s): BA History and BA Classics - Classical Archaeology from California State University Long Beach. AA History, AA Arts & Humanities, and AA Social Science from Los Medanos College. 

Research Interests: women in classical antiquity, the iconographic and cultural intersection between the late Hellenistic period and early Roman Empire, Bronze Age Aegean, Ptolemaic Egypt, Cleopatra VII, the Julio-Claudian dynasty, material culture, cultural and social history, microhistory, historiography, and theory

Personal Interests: Russian history, literature, movies, writing, traveling (especially to Greece)

Ben Gould

Other Degree(s): BA in History with a minor in Writing & Rhetoric from College of the Ozarks

Research Interests: classical mythology and literature, military history, classical reception, and linguistics 

Personal Interests: creative writing, reading, hiking, rock climbing, camping, astronomy

Photograph of Patrick Leary
Patrick Leary

Other Degree(s): University of Massachusetts-Boston, BA in Anthropology and Classical Studies

Research Interests: Mediterranean Art and Archaeology, Ritual, Religion, and Magic in the Ancient World (Mystery Cults, Stephanitic Games, Greek Sanctuaries), Oracular Sites, Archaeology of Empires

Personal Interests: The Ocean, Film, Hiking, Celtics, Patriots, and Arsenal F.C.

Photo of Tyler Lecours
Tyler Lecours

Other Degree(s): St. Francis Xavier University: BA: Advanced Major in Anthropology 2017

Research Interests: Classical and Contemporary Archaeology, Cross-Cultural Relationships, Colonization in the Mediterranean, Southeastern Europe, and Punic North Africa 

Personal Interests: Anything Outdoors, Sci-fi and Fantasy, Ceramics, Board Games, Exploring Book Stores

Photo of Spencer McDaniel
Spencer McDaniel

Other Degree(s): BA in History and Classical Studies (Ancient Greek and Latin languages), with departmental honors in history, Indiana University Bloomington 2022

Research Interests: ancient Greek cultural and social history, religion, mythology, folklore, gender and sexuality, ethnicity, interactions between the Greeks and other cultures, cult of Kybele, ancient eunuchs

Personal Interests: writing my blog (Tales of Times Forgotten), reading, visiting museums

Photograph of Molly Jane Tartaglia
Molly Jane Tartaglia

Other Degree(s): The Community College of Rhode Island: AA in General Studies. The University of Rhode Island: BA in Anthropology and Classical Studies (Double Major) 

Research Interests: Early Christianity and its intersection with the marginalized Other and White Supremacy

Personal Interests: Playing with my puppies (a mini smooth dachshund and a standard wire haired dachshund), singing, I'm a classically trained mezzo-soprano who performs with several church choirs, and scrapbooking