Kayla Beard

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Background:
Name: Kayla Beard
Contact information: kayla.beard@wku.edu

Degrees earned: M.A. Western KY University (2008), B.A Western KY University (2007)

Teaching Interests: Intro to Sociology, Criminology, Deviant Behavior

Life Interests: I am married and have two children, two cats, and a Bernese Mountain dog. Life right now is all about survival and meeting deadlines but I also love traveling, having new experiences, and spending time outdoors.
 
About:
I fell in love with teaching during graduate school. I’ve dabbled in a few other professions, but ultimately came back to teaching because I am perpetually a student myself and love being able to exchange knowledge with my students. Society is fascinating.
 
Extremism aside, I’m a big fan of Karl Marx as a founder of the discipline. I also love the work of Travis Hirschi in Criminology. On a more personal level, Drs. Jerry Daday and Edward Bohlander provided the direct inspiration for me to develop an interest in the discipline.

The word I overuse the most is “Clearly.” My favorite quote is, “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” by Margaret Mead. 
 
For fun, I enjoy running, hiking, and playing Animal Crossing.
 
I’ve always felt that Sociology was one of the most relevant fields I’ve encountered due to the ever-changing nature of human behavior. This belief has only become stronger with the rapid social change we have been witnessing recently. The world needs someone to study these changes and make sense of it all!