• "Professor Hawkes created an open space for her students to ask questions, share opinions, and create new friendships. Her interest in the subject matter is obvious and she pushes students to make deeper connections to media they might otherwise perceive as less challenging entertainment."

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• “I still remember one of the first things Prof. Hawkes said to our class: 'I have only chosen works that I myself could get through; if I couldn’t get through the first couple of chapters, then I took it off the list.' I had never had a professor or teacher throughout college or high school that chose works based on that factor. I truly felt like this class was based on the students. That foundation started my favorite class I have ever taken. Prof. Hawkes pushed us to go beyond the coursework, to go beyond the words on the pages, to have open-minded and fulfilling conversations that dug deep into important issues in our society today. The environment, the novels, the coursework, the conversation, the diversity, the learning, the growing are all things that I valued in Prof. Hawkes's class. I truly believe that through Prof. Hawkes and this course, I have finally started growing into the person I want to be. Someone who listens and learns,  who wants to make a change in this world, who talks about those uncomfortable issues, who read more works that I may not have agreed with before, and most importantly, who works hard to improve my speaking and writing. Prof. Hawkes has inspired me to change my major to English and to continue doing everything that she taught me in her course. There are plenty of great instructors out there that teach the coursework well, but there are not enough great instructors like Prof. Hawkes that teach the coursework well while also teaching lessons that will change your way of looking at the world.”

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• “Prof. Hawkes creates an atmosphere where students can approach her with their thoughts on any particular subject. She also fosters an environment where everyone is held to the same standard and allowed to voice their truth. Prof. Hawkes makes it so that everyone is a learner and sometimes the teacher. Specifically, with literature, it is important that people discuss and vocalize their thoughts on a subject. However, some professors create a mold that cannot be altered due to the style that they want the class to follow. Prof. Hawkes allows a natural flow in the classroom that makes it very easy for students to grasp the subject. Overall, her teaching style has made it possible for students to express themselves beyond the classroom and think fearlessly.”

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• “The content kept me interested in the class, but Prof. Hawkes kept me involved in the class. She really did a fantastic job of developing a safe space for discussion. There was never a fear of rejection or lack of confidence when discussing a reading due to the wonderful establishment of the classroom dynamic. Prof. Hawkes also acted as she was one of us in the classroom but with more insight to provide and the ability to grade our performance. She also is very passionate about literature and sent the class off with a reading list that we all requested because we wanted to stay connected as we all were in class. As I said before, no one wanted to leave.”