CAMPUS
UNCOMMONS BY NATALIE BRUBAKER ’16
Ken Hassell’s journey to becoming an art
teacher is anything but ordinary. The associate professor in the Department of Art and Art History dropped out of college to protest the Vietnam War, drove cabs in Chicago and spent a month homeless on the streets of San Francisco. Teaching at Elon for the past 23 years, Hassell’s life is less tumultuous than before, but no less dynamic. “I’m happy to be where I am,” he says. “I’m doing what I want to do and I worked really hard to make that happen.” Admired by his students and colleagues, Hassell has both intellectual prowess and a genuine interest in connecting with people. His quiet confidence reflects his sensitivity toward other people and the wisdom he acquired from life experiences. “I try to be a very compassionate and caring person and I think that’s the most important thing,” he says. Hassell’s high regard for both academia and people is evident in his career at Elon. He advises students working to establish a community center in the Appalachia region. He travels to London to teach a course on immigrant communities every January. And more recently, he captured the attention of students, faculty and staff through his unorthodox art exhibit titled “The Artist is Present,” which consists of Hassell sitting in a chair a few feet across from another chair where participants are invited to sit and look at one another in silence. His interest in art began with a camera passed down to him from his grandmother and developed into a passion that led him to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. At Elon Hassell founded both the photography and digital art programs. And although he will retire in May, he will continue to focus his research on people, understanding their identities and capturing their stories. “I learn a great deal from other people and learn to respect most people,” he says. “I think that’s why I became a teacher. Really, I just like talking with people.” What faculty or staff member do you think is uncommon? Send a suggestion to themagazineofelon@gmail.com.
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