Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter

CHLOE HAWKINS Spectrum Editor

Richmond locals sunk their teeth into history and folklore during a Vampirology course fostered by Virginia-based professor Stanley Joseph Stephanic.

Profs and Pints brings college professors into local coffee shops, pubs and other venues to spread their knowledge, according to its website. These lessons range from politics, economics and gardening to Stephanic’s vampires with “The Life of a Vampire.”

Stephanic began teaching Slavic language and literature in August of 2005, according to Stephanic. He has also taught many other courses like Russian and Eastern European film.

“Vampires were just one of the things I was interested in as a child and all throughout my life. I was always interested in Halloween, ghosts, those kinds of things,” Stephanic said. “So it was simply a natural progression.”

This Dracula lesson isn’t just about vampires, as it’s really about human experience taught through vampires, according to Stephanic.

“They learn about Slavic history, folklore, anthropology, pandemics, psychology, almost anything you can think about,” Stephanic said. “So really, I want them to learn more about themselves in the process.”

Stephanic said the lecture was a lot of fun to teach, and that he plans on doing it again soon in Richmond.

“We have plans on doing some talks again in the fall, so we’ll see how it goes,” Stephanic said.

Stephanic got the opportunity to teach this lesson through Profs and Pints CEO Peter Schmidt. On June 6, Schmidt reached out to Stephanic via email.

Schmidt said he didn’t originally choose the entrepreneurship route, but was always inspired by his father as a child.

“My father owned an appliance business,” Schmidt said. “As a little kid I would shovel snow, cut yards, and hold lemonade stands for my neighborhood.”

Schmidt said he began his education journalism career after college, and his topics included academic labor and higher education policy as a reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education. He said this path led to him realizing how expensive college is.

“It bothered me to see the barriers set up between teachers and students,” Schmidt said. “I asked myself — what if we went back to what Socrates did?”

Profs and Pints had their first class in October of 2017, according to Schmidt.

Since starting in Washington D.C., they have expanded to nine other major cities: Ann Arbor, Annapolis, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Nashville, Philadelphia and Richmond.

“I want to reach every large college city and town,” Schmidt said. “Eventually we’ll be global.”

The lectures in Richmond have been very successful, Schmidt said. There have been a total of six given in the city with an average headcount of ninety people.

“RVA has been great for me,” Schmidt said. “There has yet to be a flopped class.”

University of Virginia English alumna Tanisha Wright said people recommended taking the course while attending college.

“When I saw it was offered through Profs and Pints I had to take the opportunity,” Wright said.

Wright said an interesting thing she learned at the Profs and Pints lecture was the folklore behind vampire mythology. For example, their fear of garlic, the death of vampires by stakes and more. The biggest difference between the traditional lecture and "The Life of a Vampire" is the opportunity to enjoy learning without tedious work, according to Wright.

Wright took an English course under Professor Stephanic her freshman year titled “English Writing: Decadence,” according to Wright. This course focuses on the themes of moral and cultural decline across civilizations.

UVA Professor Stanley Stephanic teaches Vampirology at Triple Crossing Beer bar in Richmond. Photo courtesy of Stanley Stephanic

“At the time I took it because it was a requirement,” Wright said. “But Professor Stephanic definitely left an impression on me by proving that learning doesn’t have to be a stressful or painful experience.”

Quote of the week

“You can never be overdressed or over educated.”

— oscar wilde

ISHAAN NANDWANI Opinions Editor

As the searing summer heat draws to an end, and the cool autumn breeze begins to take hold, it can only mean one thing: the end of exotic vacation days and the start of the new school year.

Back to the grind, as they say.

As a senior, I’m equally excited and anxious to be back on campus. I’m looking forward to one last hurrah — new friends, late night runs to Christian’s and anxiety-filled study sessions at Cabell.

However, my nerves are different from the butterflies in my stomach I felt as a freshman stepping on campus three years ago. Back then, I contemplated whether I would meet lifelong friends, be successful enough to get into the medical school of my dreams or be able to do life on my own.

Those fears are nearly gone, but reconciling with the reality that in a few months, my time as an undergraduate in Richmond will come to an end is…well, frightening. It’s hard to feel ready for the impending certainty of the real world outside of the university bubble.

Whether you’re a wide-eyed freshman eager to experience the quintessential college experience, an exasperated senior attempting to savor the glory of their university days or not in college at all, but perhaps looking for some entertainment value or applicable life lessons, read on: I have some wisdom to impart upon you.

To the freshman out there, I suggest you let go of how you think your college experience should go. It’s okay if it does not live up to your expectations, and things will happen that are not according to plan. In- deed, we often enter university with a formulaic vision of the next four years, guided by the belief that these are the best years of our lives — after all, that’s what it seems like in the movies.

You might not get into that a capella group you had your heart set on, or you might just miss that grade you needed, or you might lose a friend you thought would be there through it all — and it’s okay. Be intentional in how you choose to live out this time and work hard, but also embrace spontaneity. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself for it to go perfectly, because it never does.

To my fellow seniors and veterans of university life: it’s hard to believe that another year has begun, signifying the beginning of the end. Thinking about the future is daunting, and I myself don’t have all the answers for what comes after. However, I do know that the human capacity for resilience is greater than we think, and just like we’ve adapted to past novel experiences, we can do it again.

Looking at the past few years alone, with the pandemic and so many of us being tested through virtual classes and isolation, we’ve been put through the ringer.

But we made it through.

Personally, there’s so much that I wish I could have done in college that I was unable to because of shutdowns and lost time. There’s still time though, and it’s up to me — and all of us — to make the most of it. Rather than living in fear of the future or with regret from the past, let’s focus on the now. As long as we take it day by day and try our best, that’s enough to make our time in college worth celebrating.

NICK BARAHONA Contributing Writer

elcome to Nick’s Picks. Join me, Nick Barahona, on our journey through the city of Richmond where I will review and showcase the different cuisines and restaurants in close proximity to campus, from the lens of a VCU student. To all new and returning Rams, I welcome you to an exciting time ahead filled with great deals and good eats.

Deviating from the typical tacos, pizza or burgers that can be found on almost every corner, this local gem offers a unique cultural experience and serves a heck of a Sunday brunch deal.”

Nick Barahona, Contributing Writer

We start off the semester with one of Richmond’s best brunch deals: El Pope’s $7 Salvadoran Brunch.

Less than a mile from Monroe Park, El Pope is open for brunch every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located on West Main Street, the restaurant serves authentic Salvadoran food, which is hard to come by in Richmond — in fact, it’s the only restaurant within a five mile radius of VCU where you can find Salvadoran food.

Being of Salvadoran descent myself, this is especially meaningful to me as the restaurant not only reminds me of my family and culture, but also introduces the community to our cuisine. Many dishes on the menu are almost exactly what my dad’s grandma would cook for me when I would visit her house. Just the smells alone when walking into the restaurant takes me back.

Walking into the restaurant, you’ll see wooden tables, chairs and booths that are surrounded by brick walls. El Pope is also not afraid of showing off its heritage and with pictures and little souvenirs of Salvadoran culture hung on the walls, as well as a picture of the family that owns the restaurant.

El Pope offers an astounding 10 different brunch options that are each $7. Each plate includes dishes such as huevos rancheros, omelets, pupusas, elote, quesadillas, plantains and more.

My recommendation for the hungry college student is definitely the “El Salvador Tipico Brunch.” The meal comes with two eggs served however you like, a chorizo pork link, bollo bread — which is similar to garlic bread — fried plantains, crema fresca and refried beans. There’s no question that the quantity of food is generously served, but what really stands out is the quali ty of the food itself. The dishes are fresh and flavorful, as if my grandma is in the kitchen cooking.

For my quesadilla lovers, I recommend the Brunch Quesadilla. This option includes scrambled eggs, mozzarella cheese, bell peppers, onions and your choice of either chicken or steak. This plate has not only a great size that will surely fill you up, but also a rich flavor.

The deal also comes with complimentary chips and salsa to enjoy before your food comes out. The salsa has to be one of my favorites in Richmond — it is just chunky enough with a hint of heat that goes exceptionally well with the crisp tortilla chips.

Outside of the Sunday Brunch, El Pope is open every day of the week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The price of a meal may not be as low as Sunday brunch, but you can still find excellent flavors and deals. My favorite picks are the pupusas for $2.75, and tacos such as carnitas, shrimp, steak and pork for $3 each. El Pope also offers dinner entrees such as burritos, fajitas and fish, typically served with beans and rice.

El Pope gets a big thumbs up from me.

With a deal this good, from the amount of food to the exquisite quality, this is an easy 5 out of 5 stars.

Welcome back Ram family and as al-