This thesis project brings together history and folklore studies to demonstrate the importance of ghost stories on the University of West Georgia campus. The essay explores ghost stories that contribute to the origin of the university--including the region's American Indian and African American communities and its old South roots--along with more settings of ghost stories on campus, theaters, and dormitories. The essay argues that students, faculty, staff, and alumni at the University of West Georgia use ghost stories to understand the history of the school, to confirm their relationship with the past, and to build community.

For my thesis project, I created a ghost tour for the university campus. The ghost tour--"Don't Dare Look Behind You: University of West Georgia Ghost Tour"--shares the history of the campus and is intended to be both entertaining and educational. Starting at the Bonner House, the tour will be a 45 - minute program that visits key locations on campus. Not only will the visitors learn about campus folklore and hear about local ghost stories connected to the campus, but they will also form questions while gaining understandings about the people and events that helped shape the university.