I was doing some PR/Marketing for my internship the other day and I came across an article on an instructor at Carnegie Mellon University and his special topics course: Sneakerology 101. I always get excited when I come across things like this: one because it brings something so relevant to the classroom and two because it breaks something down that can be so misunderstood.

Now, when I saw this I immediately thought to myself this can not be real but “lo and behold” instructor Elliott Curtis is teaching students the science, history, and math behind a multi-billion dollar industry.

Shoes, aside from clothes, have always been a signature way to describe a culture, a time period, and of course one’s personal style. Kids are dropping hundreds and hundreds of dollars on shoes, waiting for exclusive drops outside local Champs, Foot Lockers, etc, and it is bringing our generation closer and closer through the bonding of the new sneaks. Lets face it people it is a major TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR OUR GENERATION AND GENERATIONS BEFORE US!

The course is examining sneakers and

” its roots in the 1970s to its shaping by hip-hop, the internet and basketball among other factors, the course covers the overall impact of sneakers on a worldwide level.”

http://hypebeast.com/2008/3/carnegie-mellon-university-sneakerology-101?_locale=en

THIS IS GENIUS!

Hybebeast was the first to circulate the story of the ground breaking course at CMU and because of its buzz it helped the department get the support and backing it needed from CMU faculty members who were originally iffy about the course.

I love seeing modern courses such as this and the one at Georgetown which is solely dedicated to Jay-Z – they are giving our generation an insight to how these industries have changed over time and have stayed the same. Now with that said I do hope these courses can trickle down to private colleges or smaller universities because lets face it not everyone is going to G-town or CMU but then again maybe this will make students strive to attend institutions that think way outside the box.

All in all – Elliott Curtis is the ultimate sneaker-head and I praise him for his innovative course! Check out his website and bio: http://www.vitaminthick.com/ and http://www.skillshare.com/Sneakerology-Studio/1326090877

Astu Mengesha – Stay Down Blaze Up