Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics David DeMarco may be new to many, but twelve years ago, he was a familiar face on campus.

DeMarco graduated from Hillsdale in 2002 with a major in classics before continuing his study of classics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and studying New Testament and Early Christian Literature at the University of Chicago. He also studied in Germany at the University of Tübingen with a focus on Protestant theology. 

He published a book on Augustine and neoplatonism, “Augustine and Porphyry: A Commentary on De ciuitate Dei 10,” in 2021 as well as multiple papers on Ancient Christianity.

DeMarco has returned to campus as a visiting professor of classics, teaching Latin. He is filling the role of Professor of Classics Gavin Weaire who is taking a year-long sabbatical.

Hillsdale was DeMarco’s top choice when he was applying to colleges as a high school student, he said. He knew he wanted to read the New Testament in the original Greek. In order to do that here, he had to become a classics major. 

“My third semester here was surprisingly influential,” Demarco said. “We read both Plato and the New Testament in my Greek class.”

DeMarco has since written extensively on this, publishing a book on Augustine and neoplatonism in 2021. DeMarco said he enjoyed his time on campus as a student.

“Hillsdale was quite pleasant for me,” DeMarco said. “Some of the years were a tad odd, with the transition. But I really met a lot of great friends.” 

During summer breaks, he worked in ITS and studied Greek and Latin with his professors.

DeMarco was a student under Chairman and Professor of Classics Joseph Garnjobst when he was an undergraduate.

“It is great to have our alumni back,” Garnjobst said. “We raise them ourselves. We know what they can do. We have seen their work at the graduate level. And we always try to keep in touch with our alumni, so that if we need some help we can have some tried and true candidates.” 

Since DeMarco has returned to campus, the former student and professor have connected teaching in the classics department.

Chairman and Associate Professor of Classics Carl E. Young said he is impressed with DeMarco’s accomplishments.

“He won a Fulbright, had a doctorate from a very prestigious institution, has an excellent publication record, including a book on Augustine and neoplatonism, a topic that I thought would be of interest to Hillsdale students,” Young said. “The fact that he was also an alum was certainly a bonus.”