Lippman began teaching at the University of Nebraska in 2013. As an Associate Professor of the Practice there, he has gained a reputation for a pied-piper-like ability to get students excited about the classics—since his arrival at Nebraska, the interest in classical studies has increased dramatically, and he is now teaching the first upper level Greek classes offered at UNL in years.

The SCS award citation notes that Lippman’s “innovative pedagogy compels profound, personal, and critical engagement among his students.” He instituted and supported a thriving Classics Club on campus, which among other activities, stages an annual ancient battle reenactment attended by hundreds of students and faculty, and organized the “Homerathon,” a 24-hour reading marathon.

He has developed a reputation for finding innovative ways of revitalizing the classics in a higher education environment where the study of “ancient” language and culture is considered increasingly archaic.

Lippman believes the classics is more relevant than ever, a discipline that can build bridges between entrenched viewpoints.

“One of the nice things about the classics is that you can discuss very contentious issues on neutral grounds. We can talk about the role of the individual in 5th century Athens it in an abstract way. But students will draw inferences to how these discussions are still very applicable to our contemporary political environment.”