Capitol Technology University is a small school, with a close-knit feel – the kind of place where students have real, meaningful interactions with their professors and mentors.
That was a big draw for Dionnah Weiss, ‘14 as she considered her choice of college.
Passionate about math, Dionnah had her heart set on an accounting major and wanted to attend a school with a solid business program. She wasn’t keen about the idea of going to a large institution where the professors often don’t know their students names, and much of the actual interaction is with teaching assistants.
There were family considerations, too. “My sister lived in Laurel and I wanted to be close to her,” Weiss says.
When she visited Capitol to take her placement test, she knew at once this was the right school for her. “I really liked the manageable size of the campus as well as the student-teacher ratio,” she says. “It’s a nice setting, an environment where students feel at home.”
The business curriculum helped her sharpen her accounting skills – and she also welcomed the opportunity to broaden her knowledge through electives, such as History of Food (HU 400). In this unique special topics course, created by academic dean Dr. Helen Barker, students not only explore the culinary and restaurant industries but also create their own recipes and learn about how the foods we enjoy have evolved over the centuries.
In a typical class, students might learn how to make cheesecake the way the ancient Romans did, and then compare it today’s version.
“As part of the class, each student chose some aspect of the history of food and then researched it,” Weiss explains. “We then gave presentations to the class. So it tested our ability to do historical research as well as our public speaking skills, and we also learned a lot about food.”
“As the different students gave their presentations, I found myself continually surprised about where different dishes came from, how they got their names, and why they became popular. Many times certain foods had health benefits, such as being good for your hair and skin, and this contributed to their popularity,” she said. “Most people don’t know the background of the foods we enjoy, and it’s fascinating.”
Since graduation, Weiss is continuing to map out her long-term plans, eyeing a possible career in real estate. In the meantime, she has returned to her alma mater – this time as a member of the graduate admissions staff.
She is always ready to tell potential students, whether undergraduate or graduate, about the things that make this university different.
“It’s a place where professors will sit down and work with you, where the faculty and staff know your name and genuinely care about your progress. There’s a lot of one-on-one. You won’t find that at one of the larger schools,” Weiss said. “We also offer programs you won’t find elsewhere – for example, we recently introduced a bachelor’s degree in mobile computing and game programming.”
“The school is small and friendly, but our academic horizons are broad,” she said. “That’s a great combination.’