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New ECU class will chronicle the rise of Taylor Swift in pop culture

Photo Illustration by Renee Klahr
/
NPR / Getty Images

A new class at East Carolina University will be an opportunity for Swifties to learn more about Tay-Tay.

This fall, “English 1500: Taylor’s Version” is coming to ECU. It will be taught Dr. Anna Froula, a professor of English in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and will satisfy a general education humanities requirement.

Froula said she came up with the idea of the class from one she took herself about Swift.

The rise of Swift in pop culture will be studied through multiple perspectives, but while Froula says Swift may be the musical star of the class, she won’t be its only focus -- the class will study the experiences of many notable musicians as they experienced the ups and downs of stardom and how their experiences shaped Swift’s current experience.

Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.