Research Topics

 

Image above: the Gold Dome arena of the Centenary College of Louisiana, opened in 1970 at the cost of 19 million dollars.

There were several topics that came to mind when first looking at potential topics;

• Comparing the costs of school between the past and present. This interested me in part because I study history, and I believe that studying the past is key to studying the future. Examining the people and processes leads us along the chain of event which eventually led us to where we are today. On account of this, I believe looking at the circumstances around the costs of higher education in the past, primarily in the 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's, will tell us about our current situation as to why college has become so expensive and costly.
• College sports as an industry. I'm not big on sports, and while I enjoy it, I namely watch them for my parents' sake if a game's on. Eventually I began to learn, and eventually I came upon a particular episode of the show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, covering the state of student athletes not being paid. This then led further into the profits of college sports, and ever since it's been a topic and functions of college sports became an interest for me.
• The role and importance of family for the average student. Family is, of course, important to everyone for good or ill. I know for me personally I couldn't have made it as far without my family to support me, especially on my journey to college. Family in and of itself has always interested me; how they're formed, how we view them, how we live with or without them. I grew up in a city with a diversity of family situations, and eventually I had formed my own views. In regards to college, I would investigate the specific role family has had for college students from decade to decade, but also how they exist in response to college itself. I'm also curious about the family we choose. I am of the belief that family is more than merely blood, but those we choose and consider family and kin, and those same people also play a roll in the life of a student.
• Societal views, uses, and functions of college versus trade school. Even before I graduated I had been exposed to two paths; one being college, and the other trade school. The city I grew up in has a mix of professions ranging from the academic all the way to the industrial. Trade school was and still is a very viable option for residents, as well as those around the country and world. In some cases, trade jobs are even more reliable and well paying if one plays their cards right. This is of interest, but one key thing I noted was the range of opinions. Some had a more even approach, valuing both, some accredited college as the mainly viable path, and others decried college for being a waste of time and money in favor of more practical pursuits. This view of brain power versus man power is important and even vital to our stance and wellbeing as a country, and the debate surrounding these two institutions is fascinating.