UC Classics professor returns to 'Jeopardy!'

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!