Interesting Classes

Interesting Credits

Across Kent State’s campuses, students can enjoy a variety of unique classes

WORDS BY Megan Ayscue

ILLUSTRATION BY Sophia DelCiappo

BLACK GIRL MAGIC

Kent Campus

“Black females are virtually invisible in psychological science textbooks. Within the field, black women and girls are under researched and underserved. Black Girl Magic is designed to give students an in-depth look at the psychological lives of this population,” emails professor Angela Neal-Barnett. “Topics covered include colorism, hair, suicide, acting white, identity, depression, anxiety and LGBT issues.”

FAIRY TALES

Kent Campus

“I love the simplicity of the tales, the ways they cause you to [imagine] alternate realities, the ways they offer comfort by showing characters survive common human fears and predicaments,” professor Keith Lloyd says.

This course discusses where fairy tales originated and how they have changed. With a plethora of sexual innuendos, murders and maimings, these stories are far from their Disney counterparts.

SPORTS IN AMERICA

Stark Campus

“People … do not realize how much we can learn about American history by studying sports,” professor Leslie Heaphy says. “We can see race relations reflected in baseball and gender issues in 19 th century sports. The influence of the Industrial Revolution on professional sports is followed by … how sports can add to the support of a war.”

This course includes the development and growth of American sports such as boxing, skiing, baseball and football.

ALL ABOUT DINOSAURS

Tuscarawas Campus

This course discusses evolution and how dinosaurs relate to animals living today. Students also take an optional behind-the-scenes tour of dinosaur exhibits at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

“Although [students] may not go into paleontology,” professor Jeremy Green writes in an email, “the ability to process and understand a large body of complex, foreign information … teaches them a different way of thinking and processing the world around them.”

ADAM SANDLER

Kent Campus

This course delves into Adam Sandler’s work as a comedian and musician. Two moments still stick with professor Ronald Russo. The first is when Sandler sent a personalized video with advice for students. The second was when Terry Crews sent the class two voice messages about the film “The Longest Yard” and industry tips. Students also received a cheeseburger or Quarter Pounder based on his character’s preferences.

BAKING AND PASTRY FUNDAMENTALS

Kent Campus

“Every semester, a student pulls off the most beautiful brioche or stunning pie, and they are beaming with pride and otherwise overwhelmed with self fulfilment. Which makes sense because just two weeks prior they didn’t feel confident boiling water,” says professor Anthony Hamilton.

In this course, students can expect to create breads, cakes, tortes and more. Students will also learn advanced decorating techniques and “the production and selection of quality handcrafted and purchased products,” according to the university catalog.