GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Sparks are flying for all ECU students whom Taylor Swift enchants as one East Carolina University professor is saying, “You Belong With Me,” next fall.
Are you, “Ready For It?”
“I’m at a point in my career where I’m ready to try some new things in the classroom, and I do like a lot of Taylor Swift’s music,” said Anna Froula, an ECU Professor.
Dr. Froula, who will be teaching English 1500: Taylor’s version says it will be offered in the fall of 2024 as a general education humanities requirement.
“I’m a swiftie, die-hard. I wish I could have gone to her concert,” said ECU Sophomore Marisa Lewiski.
Unfortunately, she isn’t able to take the class but thinks the idea is “Fearless.”
“I think it’s really cool, and if they want to get students more interested in topics like that, I think adding artists and trendy things is a really good way to do that,” said Lewiski.
Dr. Froula said this class will cover a variety of topics.
“I’m gonna have one of my departmental poets come in and talk about how to read a poem. I’m going to have the editor of the Journal of Celebrity Studies come in and open up the class and talk about what it means to study celebrity. I’m going to have people come in and talk about marketing, particularly the way that the NFL has taken advantage of her presence,” Dr. Froula said.
While students may come to the class with their love of the artist, Froula hopes they’ll leave with even more.
“I want them to have a grasp of the power of language and how to use it carefully, as well as an understanding of the power of figures of speech, both how to analyze them and how to use them themselves,” said Dr. Froula.
All 116 spots are filled for the class next school year, making it hard for students to find a “Blank Space,’ to sit.
Hopefully, the “Reputation,” of this class will be great so it can continue on for more students to learn more about the pop culture legend. As Dr Froula says, she would love to continue teaching the class as long as she can.
She also mentioned she took inspiration for the class from one that’s offered at the University of Texas.