Who is Jonathan Migliori from Jeopardy?

Jonathan Migliori is an American educator, archaeologist, historian and cruise ship lecturer based in Providence, Rhode Island, who has built a career sharing his passion for the ancient world with students, museum visitors and travelers around the globe. Best known professionally as an Upper School Latin teacher at The Wheeler School, Migliori combines classroom instruction with archaeological scholarship, museum education and international lectures aboard Viking Cruises.

In July 2026, Migliori gained national recognition after appearing as a contestant on Jeopardy!, representing Providence, Rhode Island. His appearance reflected decades of dedication to history, classics, archaeology and languages—subjects that have shaped every stage of his academic and professional career.

Teaching Latin and Classical Studies at The Wheeler School

Jonathan Migliori has taught at The Wheeler School since August 2019, serving as an Upper School Latin teacher.

At Wheeler, he teaches Latin across all high school grade levels while also developing and teaching specialized Fundamentals of Latin courses for students in grades 6 through 8 with learning differences (LD). These classes are designed to introduce younger students to classical languages while adapting instruction to different learning needs and educational approaches.

Beyond the classroom, Migliori serves as the faculty adviser for Aerie Literary Voices, the school’s literary journal. In that role, he mentors student writers and editors while helping oversee the publication of original creative work.

Before joining Wheeler, he spent four years teaching Social Studies at La Salle Academy in Providence, where he instructed courses including Ancient Civilizations and Geography, American History, Grammar, Greek and Latin Roots, Research and Technology. His teaching philosophy centers on making history engaging and accessible, encouraging students to see the ancient world as a living influence on modern society.

An International Historian with Viking Cruises

Outside the academic year, Jonathan Migliori has built an international reputation as a Resident Historian and Guest Speaker for Viking Cruises, a position he has held since June 2017.

Each summer, he lectures aboard Viking’s ocean-going ships, delivering presentations on archaeology, ancient history, linguistics, mythology, literature and medieval culture. His lectures provide historical and cultural context for destinations visited throughout Europe, enriching passengers’ understanding of the places they explore.

His itineraries have included voyages such as:

• Viking Homelands
• British Isles Explorer
• Empires of the Mediterranean
• Mediterranean Odyssey
• Iceland & Norway’s Arctic Explorer
• Viking Shores and Fjords
• Baltic Sea itineraries
• Norwegian coastal voyages
• Mediterranean and Aegean cruises

In 2025, Migliori taught medieval literature aboard Viking Sky during a voyage from New York to Bergen, Norway. During the cruise, he also led historical discussions and explained reproductions of famous artifacts, including the Bayeux Tapestry, helping passengers connect historical events with the destinations they visited.

His work aboard Viking Cruises has established him as an engaging public historian capable of bringing thousands of years of history to life for audiences from around the world.

A Career in Archaeology and Museum Education

Jonathan Migliori’s fascination with archaeology began during childhood visits to museums, experiences he has credited with inspiring his lifelong career.

Earlier in his professional life, he worked extensively with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum, serving as both a Curatorial and Education Intern and later as Continuing Education Faculty.

His responsibilities included researching artifacts, writing interpretive labels for the museum’s ancient Egyptian collections, developing archaeology-based educational resources for schoolchildren, supervising interns and lecturing university students.

Among the courses he taught was Alexander to Zeus: An Introduction to the Archaeology + Art of the Greco-Roman World, introducing adult learners to the archaeology, history and artistic achievements of classical civilizations.

His broader archaeological and museum experience also includes:

• Expert with Context Travel (2020–2023), designing seminars on archaeology, history and classical literature
• Latin teacher at Greenwich Academy
• Gladiator and exhibit guide at the York Archaeological Trust in England
• Internship at Motley Rice LLC
• Visitor services and archival digitization at Brown University’s Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology
• Field crew member on the Greene Farm Archaeology Project in Warwick, Rhode Island

These experiences demonstrate his commitment to preserving, researching and interpreting the ancient world for both academic and public audiences.

Academic Excellence in Archaeology, Classics and Medieval Studies

Jonathan Migliori has an academic background spanning archaeology, classics, medieval history and ancient languages.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in 2011, completing triple concentrations in:

• Archaeology and the Ancient World (Classical Archaeology)
• Medieval Cultures
• Classics

While studying at Brown, he participated in the Archaeology Department Undergraduate Group, Rhode Island Archaeology Colloquium, edited the Brown Classical Journal, and appeared in theatre productions including Shakespeare on the Green.

He later earned a Master of Arts in Roman Archaeology from Durham University in England in 2013.

During his time at Durham, he served on the University College Middle Common Room Executive Council and participated in the Durham University Archery Club.

Migliori also completed archaeological studies through the American Institute for Roman Culture/Holy Cross Rome Program, studying Roman archaeology, topography, Latin and Italian while living in Rome.

His educational background reflects decades of specialized study focused on understanding and interpreting the ancient Mediterranean world.

Scholarship, Publications and Community Leadership

In addition to teaching, Jonathan Migliori has remained active as a writer, editor and community leader.

His published work includes All You Need Is Lof: Memory and Mortality in Beowulf, published in Ziggurat: The Brown Journal of Religious Studies, exploring themes of memory and mortality in the Old English epic poem.

He has also published photography in the Brown Classical Journal, reflecting creative interests alongside his academic scholarship.

Since 2016, Migliori has served as President of the Brown Club of Rhode Island, organizing alumni events and strengthening connections among Brown University graduates throughout the state.

Since 2015, he has volunteered with Project Open Door, creating museum-based educational programs for underserved Rhode Island students. Through this work, he helps introduce young learners to archaeology, history and museum collections that might otherwise be inaccessible.

His career consistently reflects a belief that education should extend well beyond the classroom.

Languages, Skills and Professional Interests

Jonathan Migliori combines expertise in archaeology with a wide range of educational and creative skills.

His professional strengths include:

• Archaeology
• Ancient history
• Latin
• Medieval literature
• Museum education
• Educational outreach
• Research
• Editing
• Blogging
• Copy editing
• Project management
• Event management
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Photoshop

He speaks English, Spanish and Italian, and has completed advanced study in Italian. His international education and travel have enhanced his ability to communicate history across cultures and audiences.

Earlier in his academic career, he was recognized as a Bezos Scholar by the Bezos Family Foundation and The Aspen Institute in 2006, honoring his leadership and academic promise.

Competing on Jeopardy!

Jonathan Migliori made his national television debut on Jeopardy! on Friday, July 17, 2026.

Representing Providence, Rhode Island, he competed against returning champion Lea James, an attorney from Boston, Massachusetts, and challenger Andy Strange, a project test engineer from Erlanger, Kentucky.

Given his lifelong dedication to classics, archaeology and history, Migliori’s appearance on Jeopardy! reflected the intellectual curiosity that has defined both his teaching career and his public engagement. His broad academic interests made him a natural fit for one of television’s most respected knowledge competitions.

A Career Dedicated to Making History Accessible

Jonathan Migliori has devoted his professional life to helping others understand the ancient and medieval worlds.

Whether teaching Latin to high school students, lecturing aboard cruise ships, designing museum programs or participating in archaeological excavations, he has consistently sought to make history engaging and accessible. His career bridges formal education, public scholarship and international cultural outreach, allowing audiences of all ages to appreciate the enduring legacy of the ancient world.

Jonathan Migliori Quick Facts

Field	Details
Full Name	Jonathan Migliori
Residence	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Profession	Educator, archaeologist, historian and cruise ship lecturer
Current Position	Upper School Latin Teacher, The Wheeler School (2019–present)
Additional Current Role	Resident Historian and Guest Speaker, Viking Cruises (2017–present)
Previous Positions	Expert, Context Travel; Social Studies Teacher, La Salle Academy; Continuing Education Faculty and Curatorial & Education Intern, RISD Museum; Latin Teacher, Greenwich Academy
Areas of Expertise	Latin, archaeology, Roman archaeology, ancient history, medieval literature, museum education and educational outreach
Education	Bachelor of Arts, Brown University (Archaeology and the Ancient World, Medieval Cultures and Classics), 2011
Graduate Degree	Master of Arts in Roman Archaeology, Durham University (2013)
Additional Study	American Institute for Roman Culture/Holy Cross Rome Program
Community Leadership	President, Brown Club of Rhode Island; Volunteer, Project Open Door; Faculty Adviser, Aerie Literary Voices
Publications	All You Need Is Lof: Memory and Mortality in Beowulf; photography published in the Brown Classical Journal
Languages	English, Spanish and Italian
Recognition	Bezos Scholar (2006)
Jeopardy! Appearance	Friday, July 17, 2026
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	White/Caucasian
Gender	Male
Age	Not publicly available
Date of Birth	Not publicly available
Relationship Status	Not publicly available
Family	Not publicly available