Dr. Ben Reinhard

The summer of 2024 found Dr. Ben Reinhard, professor of English, in Gaming, Austria, where he taught a three-week mini course, The Last Homely House: Tolkien and Imagination, as part of Franciscan University’s Austria Summer Experience.

The class drew students from Franciscan, other colleges across the country, and even from Australia and Lebanon. It was a transformative experience, Reinhard says, that enriched both him and his family, which includes wife, Hannah (Hahn ’08) and their five young children.

On campus, Reinhard teaches “anything old,” which includes courses from classical mythology to Shakespeare as well as the core classes Lyric and Dramatic Voices and Epic and the Person. This fall, he is also teaching Readings in British Literature: Tolkien.

Originally from Bluffton, Indiana, Reinhard received his bachelor’s degree in history from Purdue University and both his master’s and doctorate degrees in medieval studies from the University of Notre Dame. Before joining Franciscan’s faculty, he served in the English Department at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia, for nine years.

Reinhard appreciates the strong evangelistic mission of Franciscan University, pointing out that the University attracts students from a variety of backgrounds who may never have explored their faith deeply before coming to Steubenville. Additionally, he says, all Franciscan students receive an authentic educational experience.

“All real education is Catholic education, and Franciscan is one of the few places in the world that fully embraces that.”

Reinhard relishes the conversations that arise in his classes and says he’s continually surprised by student perspectives he couldn’t have anticipated.

“Something resonates with them, and they see things in a different way,” he says, which causes him to reflect anew also.

He says the “old stuff” comes alive to the students because themes of honor, loyalty, and more are timeless. Reinhard always looks forward to retooling his classes each year, seeking fresh angles for instruction. In addition, one of his goals is to help strengthen humanities offerings at Franciscan.