UC Classics professor returns to 'Jeopardy!'
Kelly Shannon-Henderson finished second for the second time
A University of Cincinnati Classics professor returned to the quiz show “Jeopardy!” this month where she finished in second place for the second time.
UC College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Kelly Shannon-Henderson first appeared on “Jeopardy!” in 2022. She was invited back as part of the show's Second Chance Tournament.
At UC, Shannon-Henderson studies Greek and Latin prose literature, among other research topics. She received the 2020 Goodwin Award of Merit from the Society for Classical Studies.
Shannon-Henderson is a longtime fan of the show. She played a strong game but came up just short despite correctly answering the Final Jeopardy question in the category Historic Americans: They went their separate ways in 1806 and both became territorial governors: one of Upper Louisiana and the other of Missouri.
The answer: Who are Lewis and Clark?
Shannon-Henderson beat Max Davison, a writer from Studio City, Calif., but finished second to Matt Harvey, a health care administrator from Rhode Island.
Shannon-Henderson gave credit to Harvey for beating her to the buzzer on several questions, particularly in the category of mythology.
“I would like everyone to know that I knew all the answers in that category,” she said laughing.
Shannon-Henderson said the show should consider a couples tournament. Together, she and her husband, UC Associate Professor of Physics Conor Henderson, would make a formidable team, she joked.
“He knows sports and movies. I know classical music,” she said.
The show was taped during UC's finals week in December.
“I left my stressful professor life and all the papers I had to grade to fly out to Los Angeles and be a TV star for a day,” she said. “I had fun, but I think my 'Jeopardy!' career essentially is over.”
UC Classics Associate Professor Kelly Shannon-Henderson competed on “Jeopardy!” this month for the second time. Photo/Jeopardy!
Related Stories
UC Blue Ash professor receives international recognition for research on popular media and culture
November 3, 2026
UC Blue Ash's Krysten Stein is the recipient of an international award and recently started a fellowship in Germany as she continues to gain attention around the globe for her research on popular media and culture.
UC associate professor wins short film award, named Mary Ellen Heintz professor
November 1, 2026
Anima Adjepong won an award for the best short film at the Black Star International Film Festival in Ghana, in September. Adjepong’s film will be screened on Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Esquire Theater. The film titled "Home, Or Our Journey is Still Long," was made in collaboration with Ghana film maker Joewackle J. Kusi. It was funded by the University Research Council Pivot Grant award. Adjepong said the film is about exploring the feeling of home and belonging, as well as reflecting on the ocean and the industrialization of the natural world.
'Very inspiring'; UC professor wins award for greenhouse-gas research, credits students for her passion
October 30, 2026
Amy Townsend-Small, a College of Arts and Sciences professor, won the 2026 Sustainability Leadership award for her nearly two decades of work looking into the oil and gas industries. Townsend-Small, who teaches for the School of Environment and Sustainability (SEaS), said she studies where methane is emitted through the life cycle of natural gas, and what can be done to reduce emissions. Methane, according to Townsend-Small, is very good at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Specifically, she works to quantify the emissions with the goal to be providing accurate data for policy change.