Shea Sullivan, Associate Director of the Institute for Digital Humanity,
North Central University Class of 2022
Dr. McKain invests in his students, but not only on an academic level; he also personally connects with his students. His first priority as a professor is the well being and humanity of his students. The strengths and weaknesses of his students are on the forefront of his mind as he tailors his classes to meet his student’s needs and abilities. With the use of many unique projects, from Zines to social media campaigns to scholarly papers, Dr. Mckain finds a way to challenge each student on their weaknesses, while also allowing them to play on their strengths. Advocating for his students is his specialty, and he always helps us gain cross-cultural partnerships that help us advocate for our communities. His distinctive socratic style of teaching engages students and creates an environment where students are able to learn the way that best suits them, while also preparing them for the real world.
Samson Hall, Former Associate Director of the Institute for Digital Humanity, BA Creative Writing,
North Central University Class of 2019
Taking a class from Aaron Mckain is always a challenge; he wastes no time getting into the material, and he expects a lot out of his students. The real reason, however, his classes are challenging isn’t because they’re too hard; It’s because he knows what his students are capable of and doesn’t want any of them to sell themselves short. He always advocates for students to use their own talents and experiences from outside the classroom to inject a unique energy into their projects. He also provides constant space for this with his socratic lecturing style, which has students from all different walks of life working together to grasp a topic or solve a problem. In Mckain’s classroom, I’ve seen teenaged PSEO students taking their first college course work together with seniors putting the the final touches on their senior projects. Aaron Mckain has a way of bringing people together and revealing their true potential.
Amanda Ahrens, Research and Writing Associate for the Institute for Digital Humanity,
North Central University Class of 2023
The interesting thing about being in the classroom with Dr. Mckain is you never really know what’s going to happen. One day, you might be learning about rhetorical principles from Socrates or Aristotle, and the next you’ll be challenging modern rhetorical theory from a Christian perspective. This unique blend of old and new, traditional and modern, is what sets my experience with Doctor Mckain apart. He helped teach me that the world isn’t always straightforward, and that we can use this to our advantage. During my undergraduate with him, I made scrap-book style comic books to explain rhetorical theory, wrestle with Free Speech issues, battle misinformation, and confront stigmas around mental and chronic illness. I also helped create game-show style podcast content to demonstrate the inequities of algorithmic discrimination, and worked with national-level organizations to create change. Because of Doctor Mckain, I have relevant, real world experience while still in college.
Moises Morales Ramos, Executive Producer at the Institute for Digital Humanity,
North Central University Class of 2022
During my undergraduate journey, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to enroll in several classes with Dr. Mckain. I often reminisce on the class lectures I’ve attended taught by Dr. Mckain, it was rather unique compared to other classes I’ve taken. Dr. Mckain teaches in a prestigious rhetoric that is understandable and effective to his students. Through his teaching style, he challenged me to think about topics in a different and effective perspective. This has inspired me to think about issues today through an academic thought process that was taught to me by Dr. Mckain. Not only was talking about cultural and societal influences and issues fascinating, but I’ve been equipped to serve people and society in a positive way. Dr. Mckain is an excellent professor and person, and his passion for rhetoric inspires me to be an effective thinker.
Ayin Morales, Director of Pedagogy and Community Education at the Institute for Digital Humanity,
North Central University Class of 2021, Commencement Speaker
Throughout my time as a student at North Central University, I’ve gotten to know Dr. Aaron Mckain through various rigorous courses and my involvement in the Institute for Digital Humanity. While many university level courses tend to follow a high-speed lecture format, full of busy work and meaningless papers, Dr. Aaron Mckain has brought a fresh perspective to classroom education. Dr. Aaron Mckain has provided students with real-life experiences, opportunities of a lifetime and real time curriculum instruction. As a young freshman, I did not know what I was getting myself into when putting myself at Dr. Aaron Mckain’s disposal. Since then, I have gotten quality CV lines, partnerships with top high profile clients and priceless experience. It is no secret that I owe Dr. Aaron Mckain much to my success as an undergrad student.
