In my three years at DePaul I have found that the classes that stick with me the most are not necessarily the ones where I find the subject matter most interesting. Rather, they are the classes taught by passionate and extremely intelligent professors who excel at making class material intriguing and applicable to the world outside of the classroom.
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Keith Mikos
I cannot recommend this professor enough. Mikos is extremely knowledgeable and passionate on subjects like American literature, film, history, culture, technology, philosophy, and poetry (especially Emily Dickinson). His interest in the course material is so contagious. I took his “Film and Literature” course which fulfilled an Arts and Literature credit and now I am in his Multiculturalism section which fulfills the sophomore seminar credit. You will learn so much in one ninety minute class. He is one of the best lecturers I have had at DePaul. He’s a fast talker, but that does not stop him from cracking a few jokes every class. If you’re worried about keeping up with the fast pace of the lecture, don’t. Just listen and learn. Mikos always posts detailed notes covering everything he went over in the lecture every week.
Dana Kupper
I took “Cinematography” with Dana Kupper last year. She was such a breath of fresh air. She’s hilarious and very talented at teaching. I remember how she always had a perfect example or analogy for any confusing concepts. Also, you spend half of the three hour class exploring the Cinespace facility and applying what you just learned in the lecture. Not to mention, Dana has so much experience in the industry and she gives the most helpful and practical advice because of it. If you end up taking a class of hers, be sure to ask her to tell the tiger story.
James Choi
I took “Production II” with James Choi last Spring. The actual class was laidback and focused heavily on critiquing the films you create outside of class with your group, which I found really enjoyable. He’s also great at relaying practical information related to film festivals, grants, community lectures, and any other potential opportunities for his students. It is important to note that “Production II” is time consuming outside of class, so I would recommend avoiding any other hard or time consuming classes that quarter. That being said you will learn and improve so much by having to create these films from start to finish on such a short deadline. The restrictive guidelines for each of the films challenge you and your group members to think outside the box. James is very serious about helping aspiring student filmmakers make a career (and money!) doing what they love.
Marcus Hughes
Not going to lie, I was absolutely dreading taking a philosophy class. After a class of mine was canceled last minute, I hurried to find something to replace it that fit in my schedule. I discovered a class entitled “Philosophical Issues in Education and Culture”. Based on my limited knowledge prior to the class, I assumed that philosophy was just boring and confusing. Marcus Hughes completely took my expectation of a philosophy class and flipped it on its head. If I could pick one word to describe Hughes, it would be real. He is honest and open about the world and the country we live in, even if it is hard to accept. Hughes awakens and invigorates his students, pushing them to take action against social injustices and question what they have been told. He enables you to discover your own personal philosophy. You can tell he truly cares about the success of each and every student. He also cultivates such a supportive classroom environment. My classmates and I all felt very comfortable voicing our opinions, and even the shyest students were not nervous to participate.