Adam Tamburin

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos is a constitutional lawyer.

Zeppos has long has taught a course on "The Federalist Papers."

But this year, he teamed with Alice Randall, Vanderbilt's writer-in-residence, for a new twist.

The two are teaching the papers through the lens of the hit musical "Hamilton."

Bass buzzed through the classroom. Students bobbed their heads to the rhythm, scribbling notes as the crooning began.

"It must be nice, it must be nice," the singer purred, "to have Washington on your side."

If those lyrics sound familiar, it's because they’re from "Hamilton," the musical juggernaut that traces the early history of the United States through the personal story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

"Hamilton" has won 16 Tony Awards, a Grammy and a Pulitzer Prize. It was even credited with saving Hamilton's spot on the $10 bill.

And, this spring, the musical has reshaped one of the most popular classes at Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos has taught a course on "The Federalist Papers" for years. Students enter a lottery to work alongside the university's top administrator, a constitutional lawyer who introduces himself as "Nick" and takes a wandering, avuncular approach to lectures.

When Zeppos heard about Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical based on one of the leading federalists, inspiration struck. He had an idea and reached out to Alice Randall, Vanderbilt's writer-in-residence and a professor who teaches courses on soul food and African-American children's literature.

"We have somebody who's written a musical that probably more people have seen over the last few years than have read 'The Federalist Papers,' " Zeppos said. "Maybe we can learn from both.

" ... Let's mash 'em up and teach them together."

So he and Randall teamed up to reimagine the course, weaving songs like "The Room Where It Happens" and "Dear Theodosia" alongside historical documents tracing the founding. They decided each class would open with a song from the musical that was thematically tied to the papers on the docket for the day.

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Randall also leads discussions on other works of art that are linked — literally or conceptually — with the early years of the nation and the themes at the core of the Constitution. She described the final product as an "intellectually provocative remix" of Zeppos' original course.

Driven by a desire to "think outside the box like Miranda did," Zeppos decided to take his course on the road and teach it at Fisk University with a blend of Fisk and Vanderbilt students. Sitting side by side with their desks gathered in a U shape, about 15 students dive into Miranda's lyrics, delivered in rap and song, and consider their historic implications.

"To remix a course that was already very well established and a very powerful class and to add new and different layers of complexity and welcome in new students has been just a great opportunity," Randall said.

At a class meeting this week, the lyrics of "Washington on Your Side," which blends tight harmonies and dextrous rap, served as a bridge linking the concerns of the 1790s with modern-day politics.

Seizing on lyrics complaining about warring "factions" within George Washington's Cabinet, a Vanderbilt student saw the seeds of today's intensely partisan climate.

"You have gone right to the heart of this," Randall said with a smile.

Fisk junior and political science major Christine Hale, 20, wasn't familiar with the "Hamilton" soundtrack before she started taking the class this semester. Now, she said, it has become a personal favorite, and it's illuminated parts of American history that once seemed distant.

"When I think of history I think of a more mundane discipline. With 'Hamilton' it's very exciting," Hale said. "It contemporizes the time of the Founding Fathers."

Kathryn Fuselier, 22, a Vanderbilt senior who is double majoring in history and political science, agreed.

Hale and Fuselier said bringing students from Fisk and Vanderbilt together in one class deepened their engagement with the topic. Escaping the "Vanderbilt bubble" has become a recurring goal for Fuselier and her peers, but it's been a stubborn one.

By senior year, Fuselier said, she had become familiar with her classmates and professors — she's often able to anticipate their points of view in class.

"Going to Fisk forces us to break that pattern and it allows for this diversity of opinion," she said. "I do think that it removes a kind of comfort zone or a safety net."

Vanderbilt and Fisk have collaborated for some time. For more than a decade, the Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge Program has helped students in scientific and technical disciplines go from a master's degree at Fisk to a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt hired a new administrator last year whose goal is to foster more collaboration with local universities. Zeppos was hopeful this course, rooted firmly in the liberal arts, would set the stage for more teamwork.

“Vanderbilt needs to be much more in the community, needs to be reaching out much more," he said. “Let this be an example and a launching pad for so many other things."

Reach Adam Tamburin at atamburin@tennessean.com or 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.



