Cryptid Curriculum was created by Rebekah Ehrhart as a Capstone project for Kutztown University’s Honors Program. Rebekah graduates in May 2026 with a Bachelor Degree in Library Science along with a minor in Cinema, Television, and Media.
As an avid reader, nature enthusiast, and lover of whimsical things, I enjoy speculating about the world around me. I love cryptozoology because to me, it makes the world feel bigger and more magical. I also find the way cryptids’ stories form so fascinating. I like to consider the thought processes of the people giving these accounts, the locations the cryptids live in, and the flora and fauna surrounding them. I commend those who use cryptids as a way to explore and preserve nature. While these animals may not be real, there are so many critters who are and deserve a place away from our human footprint. If nothing else, I hope my project inspires you to think deeper about the wonderful world we live in and the lives we share it with.
Do I personally believe in cryptids? I never say never, but I mostly consider Bigfoot, Mothman, and the like to be fun stories to share with others.
Special Thanks: Thank you to my lovely advisor, Dr. Roseanne Perkins, for helping me any way you could and keeping my spirits up. A huge thank you to Rob Weidman for working through WordPress bugs to make my site viewable. I appreciate Dr. Andrew Vogel and Dr. Eric Johnson for both assisting me in my Capstone and being such wonderful teachers on the Ireland study abroad trip (Dr. Jason Lanter too!).
Thank you to Luke for driving me 7 hours in one day to see the Loch Ness Museum. Thank you to Katie for commiserating with me about our projects and being a wonderful roommate. Special thanks to Ian, Clem, Courtney, and Q for being my test audience and rooting for me the whole time.
Of course, thank you Mom and Dad for being my cheerleaders and showing so much interest in my project. Dad, thank you for sending me the dual authentication code every time I needed to get onto WordPress (sorry about that).
