The editor would like to thank all involved for their time and effort on this edition of The Voice.

The opinions expressed in any Sweet Briar College publication or other forms of media are not necessarily those of the students, faculty, staff or administration. Therefore, Sweet Briar College is not responsible for its content.

Editorials represent the opinion(s) of the editor(s) and/or staff/guest writer(s).

This site was designed and is maintained by Caroline Baxley. Please email any questions or comments concerning the web site to her.

A little off kilter
By Brandon Ayers Agnew ’08
STAFF WRITER

If you’ve noticed a beer gutted, ring filled, leather jacket wearing, semi-hobo looking man wandering the Sweet Briar campus this year and wondered who he was, well that’s Professor Ashbrook. Though he has only become a proud addition to the Sweet Briar faculty this academic year, he has quickly gained a large following among both students and fellow faculty members.

Most of his students would tell you that his classes are some of the best courses they have had the privilege of taking in college. In fact, his courses have gained so much notoriety that those students who are overloaded with other classes this semester have chosen to audit his Genocide course just to be able to have the Ashbrook experience.

And an experience his classes are, his history courses are not only an information overload, in the positive sense of the phrase, but also are entertaining educational experiences.

So what is it about his classes, which draws students into his classroom? Michelle Badger ’06, who is auditing his 20th Century Genocide course, put it best when asked why she chose to take his class: “He’s cool! I’d heard such positive things about him.”

His students simply can’t say anything but great things about his classes. This is not to imply, however, that his classes are easy. Despite the work involved, Professor Ashbrook’s humor and excitement for his own expertise, Eastern Europe, makes his courses worth every minute.

“His passion for his work is contagious,” claimed Nani Smith ’07, who is also in his Genocide course. “He gets so in to it.”

As Badger stated, “Even though I’m auditing his class, I want to do the reading.” And more than that, students want to show up to class. Even his 8:30 a.m. Europe 1789-Present draws students, even with hard weekend hangovers.

Though it’s Ashbrook’s enthusiasm that brings students to his classrooms, it was Sweet Briar’s location that brought Ashbrook here. He in fact grew up in Lebanon, VA and wanted to be closer to home. With little interest in education throughout his life, and yet knowing it was the only thing he could do, he found himself bouncing between universities. With four one-year positions under his belt at the University of Tuzla in Bosnia, the Community College of Alleghany County in Pittsburgh, St. Claude’s State University in Minnesota, and Idaho State University, he thought it was time he and his wife settled down.

And so here they are at Sweet Briar. Because of the lack of funding, his tenure track position was lost last semester and the prospects of moving on once again seemed realistic. However, Sweet Briar is proud to announce that though the tenure track position is still up in the air, Ashbrook will be returning next year to “round out the history department,” as Badger put it.

With a book, Buying the Istrian Goat: regionalism and the economy in a nationalizing Croatia 1990-2001, in its second review and two articles published just this year alone, Ashbrook is clearly holding his own at Sweet Briar. The assets he has brought to the history department and the entire college are endless.

Ashbrook’s classes have become the hip new event on Sweet Briar’s campus, drawing students from all fields, years, and interests of study. Though his classes may at first be a little off kilter with a leather jacket worn here, an instigating argument created there, these are the factors that make his classes worth the hard work. As one anonymous faculty member said, “Go John!”