University Park, PA- College is a time to expand your mind in all ways you can, but one Sociology professor at Penn State is making a bigger impact than anyone else.
Richard Samuels (58), professor of SOC 119, has been teaching his class for years and has built up a reputation for helping students expand their worldview and critical thinking with a slew of incredible lectures.
Whether it’s his lecture titled “Woah! What if we like, just didn’t have money?” or that time he bravely declared racism a problem, Samuels has opened up dozens of new concepts to Penn State students.
Noah Schmidt (sophomore, marketing), a student in his SOC 119 class, said “Dr. Samuels is probably like the smartest man ever. Before his class, I didn’t even realize some people have privileges that maybe like other people don’t have.”
Casey Weiss (freshman, advertising) said “Sometimes he says and does stuff just to make you think differently about it. I remember during his lecture on Colin Kaepernick, he never actually said anything but just kneeled for an hour while singing ‘That’s Amore’.”
“It really made me think.” Weiss said.
When asked about these kinds of lectures, Richard Samuels, or Dick as he likes to be called, said, “I’m just trying to make people think critically. I don’t want people to know what I really think so don’t pigeonhole me.”
“It’s for the student to decide what they believe and what they don’t believe.” said Samuels.
This kind of faith he puts into his students is exceptionally noticeable for those lucky enough to get one on one time with him.
Katie McCuster (Freshman, Public Relations), who visited him during office hours, said “I came in to get an extension on a project but left realizing we’re all just human beings trying to survive.”
Schmidt, who also visited him, said “He was just sitting there in an egg chair wearing nothing but a sock when he told me to listen to Arcade Fire’s first album.”
“I began to weep, for I knew I was looking at the face of God, and it was beautiful.” Said Schmidt.
However, it’s his latest lecture series titled, ‘You are all sons of Sam and must drink the blood in my name’ that’s really turning heads.
Samuels explained the lectures as intended to help students understand empathy through the complete removal of it.
“It isn’t until you see the light in someone’s eyes begin to flicker that you truly have an understanding of sociology.” said Samuels.
Students are reacting mostly wholeheartedly.
Dan Hinky (Sophomore, Sports Marketing) said “Mr. Samuels is a brilliant man who makes all of us think critically which is why I’m happy to spill the blood of the unworthy in his name.”
“I will slay all who speak ill of Mr. Samuels. Every time he says ‘Needy Penis’, I am reassured that this is the only moral path to take. “ Said Hinky.
However, one student, Even Reuter (senior, Engineering) said, “This man has been saying things that anyone with any sense of compassion should have fucking known since they were 16 and now he wants us to kill people?.”
Reuter was immediately slain following this statement.
Weiss said “Before Pater Samuels, I was a naked child in the cold. Now I am nourished by the cleansing flame of SOC 119 and am certifiably woke.”
Next semester, Professor Samuels will move the class to an off campus compound in Montana for a plan he is calling “SOC 120: The Awakening.” so make sure to apply via Lionpath as soon as you can.
