Charles Hulse, professor of anthropology in the department of sociology and geography, has been a teacher at Shepherd University for 32 years.
“I like teaching,” said Hulse, stating that his favorite thing about working at Shepherd is the size of the classes. “Classes are still small enough that by the end of the semester I can know names.”
Hulse’s forte is anthropology, the study of humankind. Giving anthropology the credit it deserves is what really makes him love teaching. “Most people have never had an anthropology class… Some people say, ‘Wow, I never knew this existed’,” said Hulse.
Students who have taken Hulse have nothing but praise for him and his unique teaching style.
Melanie Snyder, a recent Shepherd graduate, stated that what she enjoyed most about Hulse’s class were his stories. “We would be in the middle of class and he would start telling a hypothetical story… That’s how I remembered many important points. I would call Dr. Hulse an oral storyteller,” said Snyder.
Tiffany Locke, a senior sociology major, said that Hulse was one of her favorite professors. “His classes are very interesting and I’ve learned a lot from him. He’s an excellent teacher and I definitely recommend taking one of his classes if you get the chance,” said Locke.
Diversity is a consistent theme for Hulse both inside and outside of the classroom.
Classes like Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology (his specialty), Biological Anthropology, and General Sociology make up a portion of Hulse’s mixed course offerings in both the anthropology and sociology sectors.
Outside of academia, Hulse enjoys playing music on his clawhammer banjo, woodworking musical instruments, and exploring the great outdoors. He’s also working on publishing a book about a ghost town in Spruce, W.Va.
“I like the big picture rather than the small picture,” said Hulse.
Hulse’s course offerings for next semester include Physical Anthropology and Archaeology, Native American Ethnography, and General Sociology.