Sam Beckelhymer graduated cum laude from the University of Washington in the spring of 2008 with B.A.s in Classics, Latin, and English Literature and entered the Ph.D. program at Penn in the fall.

His interests range from the linguistic — specifically the phonological and morphological developments of Latin's early Indo-European ancestors and relatives as they pass through the Archaic and Classical periods and continue on to the modern Romance diaspora — and the literary, under which heading would be included such topics as the development of distinctly Roman forms of Greek models (epic poetry in particular), satire as an innovation uniquely Roman, and the creation, commerce, and dedication of writing as it occurred in social and literary circles of the late Roman Republic. He intends to integrate material evidence into his philological studies as well, and has particular interest in the use of epigraphy and paleography as a means of identifying and reconciling phonological change in Latin and later Romance languages.

Sam enjoys writing in the third person.