Uncategorized – Honors Blog

Honors in San Juan: First FCRH Honors ¡GO! Project

Authors: Isabella Alcantara, Quinn Burke, Andres Caballero, David Cepeda, Reese Dains, Adriana Duran, Isaac Forson, Julia Gudis, Sean Huynh, Natalie Loo, Claire Murphy, Jolie Robison

All participants, including the group chaperone, Frances Tiburcio, at Hospital Castañer

This past June, the Fordham Honors Program sent twelve students on a Global Outreach (¡GO!) trip to San Juan with the goal of learning about Puerto Rican culture and the social justice issues present in Puerto Rican communities. Throughout the two-week trip, a mix of community engagement opportunities, reflective moments, and competitive Exploding Kittens games brought us together to create an unforgettable trip.

In the semester before our trip, our team met weekly to learn a little about Puerto Rico’s history, fundraise donations for the organizations we were working with, and practice our Spanish. By the time June rolled around, we were excited and ready to go. After a smooth flight over, we were immediately thrust into a hectic schedule. The average day looked something like this: wake up for breakfast at 6:30am, head to the first activity by 8am, break for a quick lunch around noon, then head to our second activity until dinner at 6pm, followed by a group reflection and an early bedtime to make sure we were ready to do it all again the next day.

Julia, Andres, and Claire with doctors at the Dr. Garcia Rinaldi Foundation

Most of our mornings were spent with the Dr. Garcia Rinaldi Foundation, shadowing neurosurgeons and plastic surgeons as they operated. We were particularly inspired by the passion of all the medical professionals in the neurosurgery rotations. Everyone cared about their coworkers like family and readily welcomed us into the surgical rooms as if we were their own students. The Foundation also took us to the San Juan Bautista Medical School, where we attended talks with professors and met with current students. Another day was spent touring Castañer Hospital, a hospital serving Lares and the surrounding mountainous area. There, we heard from more doctors and learned about the history of Lares, which played a pivotal role in the resistance movement against Spanish colonial rule.

Through the places we visited and doctors we spoke with, we had the chance to learn firsthand about the Puerto Rican health system. Many of the doctors would talk about Puerto Rican “brain drain,” a term referring to the mass exodus of medical professionals from Puerto Rico to the States, largely due to the struggling higher education system and the difficulty of pursuing a fulfilling, well-paying medical career in Puerto Rico. We also discussed the health insurance system, learning that Puerto Rico insurance reimbursement rates are drastically lower than in the mainland. All these issues are largely tied to the island’s history of colonization and current problematic status as a U.S. territory. We continued to see the effects of brain drain beyond the medical field when we spent a morning in Ceiba volunteering with geriatric patients. Many had not seen their children and grandchildren in years as they, like so many others, had left the island in search of better professional opportunities. It was a privilege to eat, talk, and even dance with these elderly Puerto Ricans, many of whom were almost 100 years old.

Andres, Sean, Natalie, and Reese at ACUTAS

Our afternoons were typically spent at ACUTAS, or Asociación Comunidades Unidas Tomando Acción Solidaria, a community center founded in the wake of Hurricane Maria to serve the Toa Baja community, which was largely neglected in the government’s recovery efforts. As the community continues to recover from the 2017 hurricane, with the local public school reopening only last year, we got to help revitalize the organization’s space by scraping off old paint and mold and laying a fresh coat of paint on their walls, ceilings, and fences.

Amidst the sweaty, physical activity, we got to hear about the personal experiences of those working and volunteering at ACUTAS. One woman, who has struggled firsthand with the flawed healthcare system, has dedicated her entire life to serving her community through ACUTAS. She and many others had personal experiences with Hurricane Maria and were passionate about the political and social change they hoped to see and create in Puerto Rico. Like with the neurosurgeons, we were struck by the strong sense of community at ACUTAS and their initiative to take care of one another. We’re glad we got to contribute a small part to this organization filled with people who so clearly love their community and are committed to serving others before themselves.

Julia, Claire, and Quinn during a rest day

Between our time at ACUTAS and with the Foundation, we found time to visit the island’s beautiful beaches, grab some ice cream at a local shop, and take a tour of Old San Juan, where we learned more about Puerto Rico’s history, visited an art gallery, and did a bit of shopping. Throughout all our activities, the eventful van rides between them, and the meals we cooked together, our team formed lasting friendships and countless valuable memories.

This trip was an incredible opportunity to immerse ourselves in Puerto Rico’s beautiful culture — from the music and food to the warmth of the community — and learn about the history and inequities on the island. We are grateful to our ¡GO! leaders for all their planning, our chaperone for her patience, and of course Global Outreach and the Honors Program for making this all possible.

Gathering with Honors Students at Loyola Marymount University: AJCU Honors Conference 2023

Authors: Natalie Loo, first-year; Andy Diaz, sophomore; Olivia Griffin, sophomore; Harry Parks, junior

This spring, the Fordham Honors Program sent four students to Los Angeles for the annual America Jesuit Colleges and Universities Honors Conference. Held at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), the conference brought Jesuit Universities Honors programs from across the nation together. However, our travels from New York to L.A. took an unexpected turn, leaving us with an exciting story to tell.

Harry, Olivia, Natalie, and Andy at Loyola Marymount University

With just an hour left in our flight, the plane emergency landed in Albuquerque (firefighters even boarded the plane!) and we remained grounded from 7 pm that night to 2 pm the next day. Although we missed a portion of the conference, we like to say that our adventure taught us to apply our Jesuit Honors values in an unpredictable context. Not every experience in life will go perfectly according to schedule, despite the number of hours spent planning. As Jesuit Honors students, it is our responsibility to set an example of patience, wisdom, and kindness that we would like to see in the communities around us.

We eventually arrived in Los Angeles where we listened to passionate student speakers at Loyola’s gorgeous hilltop campus. Then we had an amazing meal at Grand Central Market where we made friends with various students from around the country. In fact, our group was able to connect with an Honors cohort all the way from the University of San Francisco!

Director of LMU Honors, Trevor Zink, hosting a session at the conference

During our time at the conference, we specifically focused on the theme of curiosity. Curiosity drives us to devote ourselves to the pursuit of knowledge. But we also learned that university-level intellectual cultivation isn’t tied down by your major or classes. Jesuit Honors students from across the country presented about the niche research projects they’ve embarked on, such as redefining story narration through stop-motion or designing a new public transportation system for rural areas. As we listened to these talks, we felt inspired to impart similar creativity and playful curiosity to the Fordham Honors community.

Andy at the Albuquerque Airport during the delay

Additionally, we discussed our role as Jesuit Honors students in being catalysts for change in the institution, as well as being motivated by compassion and wisdom. The tagline “scholars for justice” embodies this commitment to thoughtful involvement in the university and surrounding communities. In collaboration with the other students at the conference, we revised the “Essential Characteristics of Jesuit Honors Institutions,” a document that lists core values shared by Jesuit Honors programs across the country, to align with our modern ideals of justice. This practice of reflection was helpful in evaluating the aspects of our own community that we want to change or implement throughout Fordham’s Honors Program.

This trip might not have been what we expected, with an emergency landing in Albuquerque and 45-degree rainy weather in Los Angeles. However, the sense of tenacity and friendship we developed, as a result, was incredibly valuable. We’ve discussed the trip many times since, and none of us would give up the formative experience that this AJCU conference granted us. Going forward, we hope to inspire Fordham University with the new patience and compassion that we learned, in tandem with the ever-present goal of cura personalis.

Attending the Hispanic Heritage Foundation Summit in D.C.

Author: Andy Diaz, sophomore

With the financial support of the Honors Program Ambassadorial Grant, I had the opportunity to attend the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s Latinos on the Fast Track (LOFT) Summit in Washington D.C. While I was there, I had the incredible opportunity to attend a panel of prominent Latinx White House leaders and visit the White House. Following that panel, I and 50 other students participated in a day of Open Sessions: students proposed topics of discussions they wanted to lead and others were able to join. I also had the opportunity to network with White House officials as well as employees within the financial and national security realm. To cap it off, students were invited to attend the annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration and Award show that took place in the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

The conference provided a perfect opportunity for me to explore and learn about my areas of interest: political science and marketing. Hearing from Latinx leaders and learning about their experiences working in our nation’s capital was both inspiring and motivating. I was moved by their stories of coming from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and making their ways to D.C. where they now head offices and advise the President. Overall, the conference was the experience of a lifetime at which I was able to connect with other Latinx students, network with professionals, and learn from peers and leaders about their fields of interest and work.

I am so grateful to the Honors Program for encouraging me every step of the way and for assisting me in lodging in D.C. for the duration of the conference. I encourage other Honors students to seek opportunities that foster their professional and intellectual growth; the Ambassadorial Grant can open so many doors.

Reflections on an Honors Walkover to the New York Botanical Gardens

Author: Grace Williams, junior

As our small group of Honors students stood on the Alpha House lawn on Wednesday, we put worldly worries in our rearview mirror. We had just wished luck to all the students who stayed behind to do homework or attend classes, and we set off. The walk to the New York Botanical Gardens was short and laughter-filled. Upon arrival, we made our way to the gift shop and picked up our gift cards, which were purchased in advance by the Fordham Honors Program. Once the anticipation had substantially built, we went outside to begin the walk itself.

We made a bee-line for the pond where Kusama’s reflective pool was during her exhibit last year, where we saw asters, pitcher plants, and cardinal flowers (among many others!) Across from the big pond sits a formation of rocks with water flowing into a little pool. We saw dozens of tadpoles happily swimming about in the pool and wiggling their little tails, kicking silt into the water. It might just be my imagination, but they looked bigger than last week. I hope they grow up to be big and strong, like the numerous frogs we observed chilling around the pool. Some sat in the water, and others clung to the (nearly vertical) rock faces opposite us. One frog had situated itself in a current of water flowing into the pool — the image of bliss. Another frog, similarly moisturized, sat in a pile of wet moss, perfectly camouflaged.

After the thrilling frog pond adventure, we meandered through the Thain Family Forest towards the waterfall, which has been a Botans Walkover staple for over a year. We elected to go to the overlook to get a good view. The leaves-on-rocks combination made for a treacherous hike, but the destination was worth it. We peered over the railing at the waterfall and the people walking below. The leaves looked stunning silhouetted against the sky. I tried to take a picture, but it didn’t do justice for the scene before me. Just as we were about to leave, a red-tailed hawk decided to make a dramatic entrance into our line of vision. It perched on a tree maybe thirty or forty feet away from us, magically at eye level. In its talons was a rather unfortunate chipmunk. We paid our respects to the chipmunk and departed.

The sun was painting the gardens gold when we returned to the gift shop. The time we spent there was fruitful — I was particularly captivated by the array of graphic socks for $10 a pair. We set off for Fordham once more, feeling content from our moment of peace and respite.

Honors Summer Internship Fellow: Olivia

Author: Olivia Griffin, sophomore

Through the generosity of the Rose Hill Honors Program, I had the opportunity this summer to intern in the events department at the Oklahoma City Myriad Botanical Gardens. The Myriad Gardens is a public, 17-acre urban park in the middle of the downtown district that hosts a large number of events for the community. The Gardens’ mission is “to increase the quality of life and vibrancy by creating and sustaining a world-class public garden and offering quality horticultural, cultural and recreational programs and events for all.”

In my role on the events team, I was able to develop my problem-solving, professional correspondence, and project management skills. My experience was invaluable in exploring my future career path in the nonprofit sector. However, my favorite part of the internship was developing and executing my own public event, “JUMP! At Myriad Botanical Gardens.” The goal of the event was to provide an engaging opportunity for the community to participate in a free, fitness-focused jump rope event, with an emphasis on educating participants on jump rope culture and heart health. I managed all aspects of the event, including securing sponsors, contracting performers, budgeting, and marketing. Ultimately, I wanted to create an environment that fostered community building. I procured a sponsorship from the American Heart Association, and they provided free jump ropes to all participants. The event went smoothly, and it was a joy to see the smiles on many faces, young and old.

One of the main concerns of the Myriad Gardens is accessibility, whether financial, physical, or social. I consider their attention to this issue extremely important to the fabric of Oklahoma City. We hosted sensory activities for children with disabilities, a variety of free weekly fitness classes, and many cultural events. Our free summer movie series was a big draw for many individuals experiencing homelessness in the downtown area. By providing free, educational, and interactive activities, the Myriad Gardens has transformed itself from a green space into a key community magnet.
I am incredibly grateful to the Honors Program for granting me an Honors Summer Internship Fellowship, which allowed me to learn from this organization. It has been wonderful to aid in the growth, vitality, and visibility of the downtown district of my home city, especially as an Urban Studies major. I look forward to sharing my newfound knowledge in accessibility-focused event planning and community building with the Fordham Honors community!

Honors Summer Internship Fellows: Jeremy

This is the fifth post in a series of six posts written by the Summer 2021 Honors Internship Fellows. The students received a stipend that enabled them to work at non-profit organizations for the common good.

Author: Jeremy Fries, sophomore

With the effects of COVID-19 still lingering through Summer 2021, I was thrilled to be accepted to complete work for the nonprofit of my choice. The organization that captured my interest is called The Theater Project, a group that endeavors to create a fully remote theater experience for high school students. To work with The Theater Project entailed many tasks, but the common denominator was always the love of theater, found plainly on the faces of my directors. I’m only passingly familiar with the art of drama, but the team’s use of the craft as a means of inspiration inspired me to join—in many ways, it felt true to the spirit of the Honors program, a group that encourages its students to explore their passions through a number of exclusive events and opportunities.

The most ambitious project of my internship, and the one which spanned the full duration of my job, was my outreach initiative. One of the Theater Project’s events is a competition for young playwrights, in which students submit their play to a panel of judges and even have the opportunity to have it performed by professional actors. To afford this opportunity to more students, my task was to increase our email list by collecting the necessary emails—English teachers, drama teachers, counselors, and principals—from high school staff directories. The result of my work was a master list of over 6,100 school contacts, as well as nearly 450 additional emails for other projects. I also completed a number of smaller tasks, including drafting two cover letters, transcribing a podcast episode, arranging a Google calendar for grants, and collecting royalty-free images for future productions.

A Zoom conference with The Theater Project

What I loved most about my scholarship was the singular emphasis on problem-solving and intellectual growth. I felt that my work was uniquely situated in the context of my development—for instance, one of my royalty-free image searches was for a play about the Nuremberg Trials. This investigation both educated me and deepened my appreciation for efforts towards justice. My scholarship also allowed me to cultivate new and useful technical skills. By doing research about Google Sheets to facilitate my outreach project, for instance, I inadvertently acquired a wealth of spreadsheet skills to take with me through other disciplines.

As a whole, my Honors summer internship fellowship opportunity has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I am looking forward to my continued involvement in fall 2021!

Senior Spotlight: Hayden

Author: Gigi Speer, junior

The Senior Spotlight Series is an opportunity for Rose Hill Honors students to interview their peers in the Program and share the conversations with the broader community.

For this article, Honors junior Gigi Speer interviewed Hayden Cresson, an Honors senior majoring in International Political Economy and minoring in Philosophy.

Tell me about yourself and what you’re interested in!

I am majoring in International Political Economy with a minor in Philosophy and am in the process of applying to law school. I am the president of the b-Sides a cappella group and am a member of the Rose Hill Society, where I lead tours and information sessions to prospective students. I am on the Executive Board for the Campus Activities Board as the Comedy Co-Chair, which means I am responsible for bringing comedians to campus (or Zoom!). I also helped teach the First Year Formation Class, and I was an Orientation Leader.

How did you get involved in all of this?

I learned about the B-sides at the club fair, and my orientation leader recommended CAB since I had been on Student Council in high school. I joined the Comedy committee because I am very into SNL and stand-up comedy; one of my favorite memories from Fordham was seeing John Mulaney perform at Radio City during his “Kid Gorgeous” tour. It has been so interesting to navigate how live performances have changed with the transition to Zoom since COVID-19. Heidi Gardner from SNL did a Q&A for Welcome Week via Zoom, and it was nice having her explain the ins-and-outs of SNL, especially since so much of the format has changed during COVID.

What has been your favorite experience at Fordham?

Orientation, in general, has been one of my favorite experiences because it allows me the opportunity to give back to a community that has provided me so much growth. Not only do you make new friends yourself, but you also get to help other people form friendships and feel welcome at Fordham. When I moved in freshman year, my Orientation Leaders made me feel so safe and comfortable, and getting to provide that for other new students has been so rewarding. Aside from Orientation, being a part of the b-Sides has definitely been one of the best parts of my time at Fordham. I especially enjoyed getting to perform at events like the Founder’s Dinner!

What initially interested you about being in the Honors Program?

I did not know about Honors when I initially applied to Fordham; I received the invitation to join a few weeks after I was accepted to Rose Hill. Upon the invitation and some research, I decided to accept my place in the Honors Program because I felt that the small, seminar-style classes would be really conducive to my preferred style of learning. For a girl coming from a very small high school, I felt that the size of the Honors Program might help make Fordham feel more intimate and close-knit. I also really liked the design of the curriculum, as I knew it would challenge me and push me outside of my academic comfort zone.

What do you think is the best thing you’ve learned while in the Program?

I’ve really loved all of the English classes I’ve taken in the Honors Program, even though I’m not an English major. The readings were fascinating and the professors were some of my favorites; my Contemporary Lit professor even wrote my law school letter of recommendation. Outside of my coursework, the biggest thing I’ve learned is that it is okay to ask for help. I’m not always going to have the right answers, so it’s good to rely on other people sometimes. I used to feel like a failure if I needed help outside of class time, but Honors has taught me that asking for help when you need it is a strength, not a weakness.

I agree, I have had so many good relationships with professors and I would also recommend that everybody talks to their professors after class or during office hours.

Is there a teacher, book, or course that has had the most impact on you?

Like I said I loved all my English professors, especially Dr. Keri Walsh, who taught Contemporary Literature. I appreciated that she gave us freedom in our papers — I was given the freedom to write an essay comparing the film A Star is Born to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poetry. I also really loved Dr. Bruce Berg and had the chance to take a public health-focused class with him last spring, which ended up being especially fascinating and relevant, as we were sent home due to Covid right after midterms. That class really sparked my interest in public health, which is now the focus of my senior thesis.

Speaking of theses, what is yours about?

After being indecisive for months, I have finally settled on my topic. I am examining the way Medicaid expansion in Louisiana has impacted women’s health care. My research will consist of interviews with clinic directors, hospital officials, and advocacy groups.

How do you think you have grown during your time in the Honors Program?

I have definitely gotten better at studying, and I have also learned to be more comfortable with failure. I have become more self-aware and have learned to trust my strengths and understand my weaknesses without constantly comparing myself to others.

I know things are so crazy right now because of COVID-19. Given the circumstances, is there anything else you would like to add?

No matter where you go to school, it is important to seize the day and make your college experience worthwhile. College really does fly by, so savor every moment and take advantage of every opportunity!

A Last Semester Bucket List for the Honors Senior

Author: Megan Schaffner, senior

There comes a time when every college student has to start thinking about saying goodbye to the people and places they’ve known for the last four years. As a second semester senior, I am hesitant to admit that such a time is right around the corner. But until then, it’s time to relax (a little) and enjoy all of the wonderful things that college has to offer!

The Honors Program has been a major part of my college experience. From struggling through challenging classes, to meeting incredibly intelligent and driven people, to completing a senior thesis that I am proud to call my own, I know that my time at Fordham would not have been as precious as it is to me without Honors.

So, while I am sad to think about it all coming to a close, here are ten important, fun, and somewhat silly things that I think every senior should do this semester.

Set up camp in Alpha House to write one more paper. Extra points if you order Pugsley’s while doing so.
Go to Central Park and recreate some of your pictures from the first-year Scavenger Hunt.
Visit Professor Jones during her office hours, because let’s be honest, she has one of the coolest offices on campus.
Pull an all-nighter in Alpha.
Send Dr. Keller or Ava a frantic email (or save yourself the stress and just reread your old ones).
Wear your Honors sweatshirt around campus.
Get the breakfast gang back together and make one more early-morning trek to the caf.
Sneak into an underclassmen interdisciplinary seminar.
Force your friends to eat eggplant pizza.
Find a way to work “Actually, I’m in Honors” into normal conversation.

Antigone in Ferguson, an Honors Alumnus Review

Author: John Murray, Class of 2016

It will be readily apparent to any graduate of the Honors Program that the themes of classical art and literature are, sometimes frighteningly, relevant to our contemporary society. Historians take this for granted; I still am amazed whenever it is revealed to me yet again. Twice this summer, it has been by the Theater of War’s production of Antigone in Ferguson at St. Ann & The Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn Heights.

It is important to note that Antigone in Ferguson is not, in fact, a modern restaging of the Greek play in present-day Missouri. The director’s note says it best: ”The production is not an adaptation set in Ferguson, Missouri, but rather a ritual of mourning and of hope that does not aim to fix a specific meaning to Sophocles’ play, but rather to inspire audience members to voice their truths and explore the infinite possibility of interpretation.”

The production had two parts: the performance itself, and a guided audience talkback afterwards. Impressive and moving as the performance was, the talkback was the real gem of the night. The creative team posed a number of questions about the show and its applicability to modern times, first to a curated panel, but then to the audience at large. Responses varied, as one might imagine, to the standard, “What about the show felt relevant today?” The theme of civil disobedience was a popular subject: Antigone’s actions were compared to disruptive protests or providing assistance to migrants from the southern border. The words of the creative team ring true: “At its core, Antigone is a play about what happens when personal conviction and state law clash, raising the question: When everyone is right (or feels justified), how do we avert the violence that will inevitably take place?”

For me, the most striking and awe-inspiring moments of the night occurred when someone voiced a thought that seemed to come from the deepest, most genuine parts of their soul. It would be a simple observation, or an interpretation of some passage, or a feeling that was inspired in them by a single line of the text. The speaker might be an elderly man, or an eight-year-old girl, or a high school boy. They might fumble with their words, but the message was clear: something in this production had moved them, to the extent that they wanted to speak it aloud in front of a hundred strangers.

Discourse—not to score participation points in a classroom, but as raw, unfiltered expression that cannot be kept to oneself. That, to me, is a magical part of theater: the ability of a play and its actors to capture the human experience so well that the audience walks away changed, as if we ourselves had lived through all the emotions and the events that transpired before us. It is, in this production, also a testament to the timelessness of the themes Sophocles chose to put on display and how inextricably intertwined they are with that human experience. We will never be able to fully correct the blindness that our pride imposes upon us, and there will always be a struggle of the governed against their governors. Love will inevitably come into conflict with law so long as both exist. Failure to heed the warnings of our conscience and of the wise will end in tragedy.

It is a great privilege of living in this city that such an event can be made accessible to all. Concerned citizens, thoughtful scholars, inspired activists, and random passerby are strongly encouraged to avail themselves of the opportunity to be moved, educated, and challenged by the space that productions like Antigone in Ferguson build for us.

Professor Spotlight: Dr. Dana Miller

Recently, junior Matt Brewer had the opportunity to speak with Professor Dana Miller, who is known among current Honors students for his first-year Ancient Philosophy course. Professor Miller will remain a part of the Honors Program’s new curriculum, as he is set to teach the new Foundational Texts: Philosophy course this coming fall. During their conversation, Matt asked Professor Miller about his past, the Honors Program, and his current interests in philosophy.

Matt: How long have you been a professor in the Honors Program?

Prof. Miller: I have a syllabus from 1999, but I might have one from before that, I’m not sure. About twenty years.

Matt: What do you like most about the Honors Program?

Prof. Miller: Well, I like the seminar format. And, I like the fact that the students are engaged; they work hard, they actually do the reading, by and large. The students’ writing is almost always good. So it’s rewarding to teach Honors students because they’re smart, hard-working, interested, and interesting. I think that’s a big factor.

[pauses to think for a moment]

It is interesting to me, the fact that I get the incoming freshmen. It’s a plus and a minus. It’s a minus because it’s kind of my job to turn high school students into college students.

Matt: I think that’s why people remember your class, in particular. They go through that transition there.

Prof. Miller: That’s right. [laughs] I apply the iron to their flesh. I think that’s why.

Matt: Well, someone has got to do it.

Prof. Miller: That’s right, exactly. But, it’s also a good thing that [freshmen] haven’t really made up their minds, one way or another. A lot of people haven’t taken philosophy, so they haven’t been misinformed about philosophy. It’s harder to get ideas out of people’s heads than it is to get ideas into people’s heads. And so, it’s more of a blank slate and it’s a lot easier to write on a blank slate. And, I think incoming freshmen are more receptive.

Matt: Especially with all the disciplines and perspectives that you’re exposed to in the Honors Program.

Prof. Miller: Yeah, for sure. I also like the fact that I get to know basically everyone [in the Program]. And, if there are issues, then there’s somewhere to go to talk to, the leaders of the Program. So, there’s this oversight of the students as individuals that you don’t get in ordinary classes. By the end of the semester, I know people pretty well, and I think that’s a good thing. I think it allows more communication both ways.

I said at the beginning of the semester to the freshmen last year, don’t look at me or any of the other professors as replacement fathers or mothers. I’m not your father, but I am your friend. And, I’m here to try to be useful and helpful to you, but I’m not going to treat you in some kind of paternalistic way. You’re here for a purpose, and I’m going to fulfill that purpose.

Matt: Do any moments or memories stand out to you from Ancient Philosophy classes of the past?

Prof. Miller: Funny moments stand out for me. This one girl, she got one of these cards, right in the middle of the semester. [Former students of Professor Miller may recall his deck of playing cards, which he uses to randomly select a student to speak in the seminar]. And she yelled out an expletive! So that was pretty hilarious. [laughs] There was one student years ago, on a midterm, she drew on odd picture, so then, when I returned the midterm, I added to her picture. She kept that, and senior year, at the end of the year, she presented it at the Honors Banquet. That was funny.

Matt: Have you always studied philosophy?

Prof. Miller: So, I studied philosophy in undergraduate, and both Mary Callaway, [Honors first-year literature professor] and I went to undergraduate at St. John’s Annapolis. We were there at the same time, but I don’t think we were in the same year. So that was mostly philosophy. I found that really quite interesting, as we moved through the program, we took ancient, some medieval, then early modern. I never felt that I understood the ancients. Actually, I was pretty radical at that time, and I thought reason was the enemy of humanity. So I had to be persuaded that there was some purpose to it, that reason had some purpose; I should have been reading Hume. But then, after an entire year of that, I actually came around, and said, “well, yeah, I can see it.” Philosophy is all about reason and making rational sense of things, and after a year, I saw the point.

Matt: So philosophy has always been something you’ve been interested in?

Prof. Miller: Well, I was curious, but I didn’t really study it in a formal sense, I just studied it on my own. Then, I had this first year [at St. John’s], and I had read a lot of Nietzsche back then, that kind of stuff. So that was intellectual stimulation. I was also reading a lot of nineteenth-century French poetry, and a lot of literature, Joyce, lots of stuff, so I was filling my mind with all kinds of things. So I got into it in college, but then I felt that I never really understood the Greeks, and then after college, I decided I had to figure out what I was going to do.

Matt: Did you have other jobs after college, before you entered academia?

Prof. Miller: Yeah, I had a few jobs and they were enjoyable, but they weren’t using my mind. I had done tree-work for quite a bit, and I enjoyed it, but, tree-work is not a job for old men. [laughs] So, I tried a bunch of other things, and said, what am I going to do? So, I decided to go back to school. I went to Boston University to get an MA, and then I got into Harvard and got another MA there, and by that time I was already interested in the ancients again — ancient Greece, the classics. Then I got kind of bored with the classics. It’s wonderful literature, but if you really study it professionally, nobody asks the question, “why?” It’s always “that,” right? So, you’re looking at a text, and you try to figure out the grammar, and you try to figure out what they say, and once you’ve done that, you’re done. There’s no attempt to take it deeper, to get beyond what’s there on the page, and that got pretty tedious to me in a hurry.

Matt: So, are your research interests now exclusively in ancient philosophy?

Prof. Miller: Not exclusively. What I’m really interested in now is the intersection between philosophy and neuroscience; so philosophy of perception, connections to skepticism. I’m currently working on a project that has to do with an interesting question in neuroscience, [whether consciousness is multisensory or unisensory]. Interestingly enough, Aristotle spends quite a long time wrestling with this very same problem, and he’s got some very, very very complicated discussions of this in one of his treatises. So, I’m spending time trying to see where Aristotle might be situated in this contemporary debate. That’s the kind of thing I’m interested in: bringing [ancient philosophy] into what we’re thinking about now, rather than it being an historical inquiry. There’s no difference between a fifth-century Greek and me with respect to perception. So, it’s perfectly sensible to look to see if there are links between their perception of what’s going on and our perception of what’s going on.

Matt: Do you have a favorite philosopher?

Prof. Miller: Yeah, I’d say Hume. When I read Hume, I just laugh, and laugh. He has a fantastic sense of humor, and he’s so radical, and he’s radical in this twisted way, with a smile and a twinkle in his eye; it’s like he has a knife, and he takes hold, and he keeps twisting it. He’s not entirely right; I think he’s starting from assumptions that I think aren’t quite defensible, but that’s what people thought in the day, and what he does with that, is unbelievable. And, he was right about a whole lot of things. His primary arguments and primary positions are still valid today. The guy was a genius, and on top of that, a wonderful writer. It’s such a joy to read his philosophical works. I like good philosophy in general, Plato obviously, Aristotle obviously, but Hume is special. Maybe it’s easy to read because it’s English; with Plato and Aristotle, you have to dive back into the Greek.

Matt: In closing, is there anything you’d like to say about the Honors Program?

Prof. Miller: Teaching three classes back-to-back is tough. It involves the same preparation, but people don’t realize how much effort is involved in making a seminar work. You’re at maximum level of attention, trying to hold things together, and trying to get people to understand things. That’s a lot of nervous energy poured into every class. So, it’s a commitment. But it seems to me that the quality of the Program comes from the students, and how much they put into it, and that’s why I like it. If I didn’t enjoy the students, then I wouldn’t be in the Program.

Matt Brewer and the Honors Program thank Professor Miller for his time and for the insightful answers he provided for this interview.