Chris Cain
Professor Chris Cain on teaching students how to be informed, independent, critical thinkers deeply engaged in the world.
Ask English professor Chris Cain why anyone would want to study Old English, a language that has gone unspoken for almost 1,000 years, and he has the perfect answer. 鈥淥f course, it depends on the person you are,鈥� he grins, 鈥渂ut how about because it鈥檚 fun! It can simply be for the enjoyment of broadening your intellectual horizons 鈥� the joy of learning.鈥�
It鈥檚 just that kind of infectious enthusiasm that informs Cain鈥檚 conversation about Old English literature in particular and Towson鈥檚 English department in general. While noting that Towson is the only university in the area where an Old English class is offered, he also gives high marks to his department鈥檚 other offerings to students.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a young department, which brings a lot of fresh energy and excitement to what we do,鈥� he says. 鈥淥ur faculty are not only excellent teachers, but also are really savvy in the digital humanities. Together, I think we cover all of the possible bases that a student who鈥檚 interested in English studies could possibly want.鈥�
鈥淚f you鈥檙e taking a humanities degree, you鈥檙e gaining a set of important skills that don鈥檛 have an expiration date.鈥�
But why English over a career-track major? Cain again has a ready answer. 鈥淲ith some professions, there鈥檚 no telling that a profession you鈥檙e training for today is going to be in demand tomorrow. But if you鈥檙e taking a humanities degree, you鈥檙e gaining a set of important skills that don鈥檛 have an expiration date. You鈥檒l always be in possession of some assets that will be valuable throughout your working life.鈥�
鈥淭he most important thing that we teach students in our department is how to read, how to write, and how to put those two skills together,鈥� he notes, 鈥渟o they can become more informed and independent thinkers about the world around them.鈥�