This is Your BA » Philosophy

Students raise CUPS for philosophy

ccms_editor — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:02:06 +0000

By Nicole Findlay

The philosophy society was in danger of extinction until a group of students revived it.

Jonathan Courtney and Zachary Shefman were among the students who revitalized the fading Carleton University Philosophy Society (CUPS). They enlisted seven volunteers to serve as members of the executive team and developed services to help their fellow students.

“One program is our discussion group that we hold almost every Tuesday of the month,” explained Shefman, a fourth year philosophy major. “Here professors and students give presentations on ideas of interest to them. It provides an opportunity to meet the department’s faculty in a social setting.”

In addition to the events, CUPS also offers a peer mentoring program for students grappling with the subject matter introduced in their classes, among these two core courses, Issues in Theoretical Philosophy and Issues in Practical Philosophy.

“We have the system set up to match me with anyone who needs help in fields I feel competent tutoring in,” said Courtney, an MA student and the society’s president, is also one of the tutors. The tutoring sessions will be counted toward Courtney’s co-curricular record, but they also satisfy a more personal drive. “It helps me to feel a real connection and a sense of community with the other students in the program.”

Mary Renaud, a fourth-year philosophy major and TA said the mentoring program has been flooded with offers from students who are interested in volunteering to mentor their peers.

Renaud, Shefman and Courtney say the department has fostered a tight-knit community of students and professors who are united in their passion for the ancient discipline.

“I think when you love something, you want to do it, to spend time around it, and to spend time with others who love it,” explains Renaud.

All three plan to pursue further graduate studies in philosophy.

Great graduate Jubilee Jackson

ccms_editor — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:19:01 +0000

By Lori Tarbett

It’s hard to believe Jubilee Jackson had the time to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree given all the activities she has been involved in over the past six and a half years.

The Ottawa native came to Carleton in 2002 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy with a concentration in philosophy, ethics, and public affairs, and a minor in political science.

She says philosophy combined the right balance of theory and practice. “It afforded me the opportunity to study a range of contemporary ethical issues (everything from international development work to physician-assisted suicide) and to be on the cutting edge of debates taking place in Canada,” says Jackson.

Despite this intense academic load, she began to seek out extra-curricular activities within her first year.

Her impressive list of Carleton community involvement includes Carleton University Resolution Board student representative, GLBTQ Centre volunteer, Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities note taker, residence fellow, Attendant Services attendant and teaching assistant to name a few. Jackson even received the Barbie Ross Memorial Scholarship to recognize her extensive and significant involvement.

“These positions played a huge role in my personal and professional development, and afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with people from many diverse backgrounds,” says Jackson of her many roles.

She is currently working as an Interpretation Officer with the Learning and Access Services Branch of the Library of Parliament which offers non-partisan information for Senators and Members of Parliament and is also responsible for public outreach and education. She says her time at Carleton helped her gain many of the skills she uses today: “My academic experiences at Carleton not only provided me with excellent written and verbal communication skills, but my involvement in campus life provided me with invaluable leadership opportunities.”

Jackson’s experience at Carleton will conclude this Saturday, November 8, 2008 when she leaves the university with a master’s in philosophy.

She offers these words of wisdom to fellow students: “While school should certainly be your primary focus, there is a lot to be learnt outside of the classroom. I would encourage any Carleton student to take advantage of the excellent opportunities that we are so lucky to have at our school.”

Combined Majors – Senate Medalists

ccms_editor — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 20:03:53 +0000

Shannon Gamble has graduated with her BA Honours in sociology and women’s studies. Through the women’s studies program Gamble explored issues including gender socialization and inequity, as well as the history and politics of race, class and sexual preference. The program developed her ability to assess and debate these types of issues.

“I am fascinated by human interaction, human relationships, and the way that humans perceive and become involved in the society that surrounds them,” said Gamble. “Sociology allowed me to broaden my knowledge in these areas.”

She feels that each program complimented the other through both overlapping and diverging examination of these types of social issues.

This fall, Gamble will enter the teacher’s college program at Trent University to work on her Bachelor of Education, after which she would like to pursue her Masters in a program that combines studies in gender and sociology.

Meghan Casey completed her BA in both English and history. Casey credits the diverse courses available through the programs with allowing her to develop a broad liberal arts education while also acquiring specific job-related skills.

“The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton is notable for fostering collegiality between professors, support staff and students, and for emphasizing the connections between various fields of study,” said Casey.

This fall, Casey is taking a B.Ed at Trent University’s Faculty of Education. She then plans to pursue her MA in English literature at Carleton. She intends to research the literary culture of fin-de-siecle Victorian England. The combination of degrees will help her to pursue a teaching career either at the secondary or post-secondary levels.

Other Senate Medalists Include:

Jennifer Lee Calder, BA, English and Film Studies
Kyle Eric den Bak, BA, English and Philosophy
Melissa Mary Horne, BA, History and Psychology