A solidly written essay is a crucial tool in college-level learning. But there are times when a different tool can serve just as well – or even better.
In the African American History class taught by Jennifer Dorsey, Ph.D., professor of history, students were assigned an “un-essay” for their final project. It could be a collage, musical performance, a poem – the only limit was a student’s imagination. Despite the carefree sounding name, the un-essays had to meet academic standards, including an annotated bibliography, and a showcase presentation on December 11.
What did the students come up with? Liam Judge '26, designed a recruitment poster for the renowned Tuskegee Airmen and built a Lego airplane to go with it. Joanna Kunz ’27 explored the Black is Beautiful trend of the 1970s and how it informed fashion and culture. Peter Mertik ’26 performed on the harmonica to celebrate the humble instrument that has featured so prominently in the American Black music tradition. Rebecah Leonard ’26 wrote a hip-hop song inspired by the late 1980s Los Angeles-based group N.W.A. (of Straight Outta Compton fame) and their cultural and social impact as a voice for marginalized communities. Roisin O’Neill ’25 created an elaborate collage to celebrate the life and career of Francis Cecil Sumner, Ph.D., the founder of Black psychological practice. Declan Tobin ’27 recorded a sports broadcast about the Black Power protest at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City.
Dorsey first learned of this pedagogical tool at an academic conference, and jumped at the opportunity to use it in one of her classes. African American History covers the Black experience in the United States from the mid-1700s to the present day.
“Students were encouraged to choose a topic that interested them, then lean into their talents and strengths, and above all have fun,” said Dorsey. “As long as they articulated what they learned through their research.”
Leonard, who wrote the N.W.A.-inspired hip-hop piece, called the un-essay “a fantastic teaching and learning tool.
“It allows students to engage with course material in creative and meaningful ways,” she said. “By moving beyond traditional formats, it encourages critical thinking, innovation, and personal expression, making the learning process more impactful.”
O’Neill said her collage about Sumner was one of her favorite assignments this semester.
“As a psychology major, it was extremely important to me to learn about one of the most influential people who contributed to the field,” she said. “Through this project, I learned about his life, his research, and how he impacted the African American race.”
Dorsey explained that the un-essay was a perfect fit for the course content.
“For a long time, Black people did not have access to the written word and formal academic research,” she explained. “When your humanity is denied, you go to great lengths to share and preserve your experiences in other ways. I was very impressed with the students’ presentations.”
The showcase benefitted students outside the history class as well. Noelle LeBlanc ’25 is an adolescence education/English major who sat in on the presentations to learn about the un-essay as a pedagogical tool.
“As an education major who has been researching the un-essay all semester, I was pleased to see the outcomes and results in front of me in real life,” said LeBlanc. “It was very refreshing to see students genuinely interested in their research and projects and their classmates’ presentations as well.”
