Swift Moves: The Success Behind Taylor Swift at the University of Houston
By: Grace Rodriguez
INTERVIEW LINK YOUTUBE:
The University of Houston had another big “first” this spring semester. For the first time ever, the school offered a class dedicated to the teachings of one specific pop culture icon- Taylor Swift. The professor to take on this endeavor is Professor Kelly McCormick. Professor McCormick is not only a professor for the C.T. Bauer College of Business, but she is also the Program Director. Lots of her teachings are centered around entrepreneurship, and this class only adds onto the list.
This spring a lucky 76 students grabbed spots for McCormick’s class, “The Entrepreneurial Genius of Taylor Swift”. Each session focused on a different “era” of Taylor Swift's career and how she marketed her albums. The class often discusses the strategies that have brought her to global stardom. When speaking with the Professor she explained how her classes differ from other Taylor Swift classes offered across the country. McCormick acknowledges that while Swift is a phenomenal lyricist, there is much to learn from her as a business entity as well. During the interview, the professor describes how this class brings forth many ideas relevant to business and builds off of the music industry. McCormick acknowledges that topics such as entrepreneurship “can be somewhat intimidating to people” and thus inspired her to present the topic under the more approachable lens of someone like Taylor Swift.
Building off of this, she describes how this class brings students face to face with tools that they might not have encountered if they hadn't taken the class. In fact, many of the students were largely non-business students. This only goes to show how bringing relevant topics to students can help them learn useful skills for the real world. McCormick mentions that for those interested in the business world, they must have a certain understanding of its inner workings including having “an understanding of the people you're working for, and how to engage with the people you are creating or working for”. Taylor Swift’s career is a direct reflection of these ideals, as she has remained a household name for years. McCormick describes how much of this success is due to her fan service, listening to what they want, and keeping them involved every step of the way. She continues on explaining how notable it is that, “she was able to remain relevant through all the different areas of her career. And how she was able to shift and grow with an audience and build more of an audience”. When comparing Taylor Swift to the likes of a brand it is an achievement in itself for remaining relevant for such a long time. Swift has managed to rebrand herself multiple times and each rebrand has brought her new success. With her numerous accomplishments, it’s easy to see why McCormick chose to teach her students about Taylor Swift.
This semester no doubt was a success for both the professor and her students. Throughout the semester students remained engaged and excited about the material in every session. Each class brought a new approach for the students to learn from. Even Professor McCormick described how this semester involved a major learning curve on her part, as she was lucky enough to learn with her students as the class progressed. If the glitter and sequins weren’t a sign of success, the class will continue to be taught at the University of Houston, this coming summer and fall.
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