Alumni Testimonials

I consider my background in philosophy, and the training it provided me in philosophical thought and critical reasoning, as one of the greatest keys to my success in business. I truly believe that philosophy is one of the best core educations that anyone can get to prepare them for facing the challenges of life (in any field of work).

Jason Van Sickle, President and CEO
J. Van Sickle and Co.

In 1989, I made the decision to major in philosophy at Wichita State University. 5 years later, I was graduating with law degree from Harvard Law School. It was only during LSAT preparation that I realized how critical my philosophy training was going to be with respect to nailing the exam. With two courses in formal logic under my belt, the game questions were nearly automatic. The ability to quickly navigate verbose, conceptually rich material and instantly distill it to its component elements proved critical to success in both the exam and the law generally. Philosophy, as it turned out, was and is the ideal pre-law major.

Craig Macy, J.D., Harvard University
Founder and CEO Syncronus Corporation

I attended WSU and majored in philosophy in 1995. At that time, my goal was to go to law school. Things changed, of course, and I graduated from Purdue University in 2002 with a Ph.D. in philosophy. Since that time, I have worked both in the private sector and in the academic world. In the last three years, I have held three different positions. In the world of business, I was an organizational development analyst. Because of my ability to use the critical thinking skills from philosophy I was always able to quickly identify problems and generate solutions for improved processes. I further used my philosophical background as the Director of Organizational Management and Leadership at Friends University. Quite simply, my leadership style and approach is a philosophical one as I rely heavily on moral and political theory. These skills in philosophy have served me well as I am now Associate Dean for the College of Adult and Professional Studies at Friends University. I can honestly attest that training in philosophy will help you in any organization or work setting.

Jeremy A. Gallegos, Ph. D., Associate Dean
College of Adult and Professional Studies, Friends University

I entered Wichita State University as an art history major; the second degree in philosophy arose out of the pleasures and rewards of each additional philosophy class. The drive for additional courses was fuelled in part by the way the Wichita State philosophy professors sharpened their students' thinking--it was as if the mental mud was slowly washed away. The second major reward was the way the historical courses brought together, or seemed to give a larger meaning to, courses in the same period from other disciplines. That attempt to identify and examine the most salient or telling issues relating to a particular subject still drives my work as a cultural historian.

Stephen Gleissner, Chief Curator
Wichita Art Museum

In the world of business, there are too many misconceptions regarding the relevance and value of studying philosophy. Majoring in philosophy taught me how to think, not what to think. It taught me several valuable lessons that continually apply to my business and my life. Here are a few of them: It is more important to ask the right questions than it is to have the right answers. Critical thinking trumps functional knowledge. It is more important to understand the "why" rather than the "what" or "how." The world of business is full of clutter and it is very easy to get lost in it. Studying philosophy gave me the tools to better discern what is strategically relevant and disregard that which is not. If you are able to understand complex problems, subjects, and issues, and articulate them into relevant and straightforward terms, people will pay you a lot of money for it. No one has all the answers and be wary of those who claim they do. As our world becomes increasingly smaller, having the ability to step outside of your own frame of reference and understand and assimilate different perspectives is a huge advantage.

Troy L. Carlson, President and CEO
Initiatives, Inc.

Getting my bachelor’s degree in Philosophy was one of the best choices I could have made for my professional career. A degree in Philosophy serves many purposes. First, my Philosophy degree taught me to think critically and analytically which has been a valuable skill for me as an employee. Secondly my degree taught me how to clearly articulate my thoughts which has proven valuable numerous times as I navigate the business world. Finally, it never ceases to be a great interview question when someone asks me why I chose to get my degree in Philosophy. When I tell them it “made me a better thinker” I automatically make a great first impression.

Sarah Strydom, Chief Marketing Officer
Midwest Single Source

It took me a long time to admit to myself that what I loved most about the world-what I was most interested in- were its philosophical underpinnings. I remember reading an article that the Harvard Business Review published claiming that people who studied Philosophy were happier and more productive than those who didn't. I think that people who have studied Philosophy know how to ask the questions that will lead them towards a more meaningful answer; an answer one would be honored to live within. My education at Wichita State-under the tutelage of the Philosophy Department- has equipped me with the confidence and the analytic capacity to ask and answer these deeper, more structural questions with clarity, purpose, and poise. Currently, I'm asking these questions in a context that seeks to restructure educational policy, but who knows what'll come next.

Hannah Erickson, Columbia University

When I was a Philosophy student at Wichita State I was frequently asked the question, “What are you going to do with a Philosophy degree?” My typical response was, “hopefully nothing.” I think I got my wish. Taoism was, and still is, my favorite brand of philosophy. Taoist Philosophy recognizes that the universe already works harmoniously according to its own way, as a person exerts their will against or upon the world; they disrupt the harmony that already exists. A key principle in this philosophy is wu-wei; which is loosely defined as effortless doing or action without action. Wu-wei doesn't imply absence of action; rather it indicates spontaneity and non-interference; letting things follow their natural course. I live on a small farm and raise vegetable and poultry using sustainable methods of agriculture. I do not control and modify every aspect of the property. The land is allowed to do what it does and I work around it. I listen to it, I feel it, in a lot of ways I have become a part of the land. I take time out to reflect and let things be. It’s quite different than the life I left behind before graduation. I can't tell if I’m regaining my humanity or losing it. Those existential questions are still there with me and I explore them every day. Am I getting closer to answering them? Absolutely not; and that’s OK. It’s rare that one gets to live and practice a philosophy. I am doing nothing with my degree; just as I had planned .

Alan Holton, farmer

The benefits of philosophy are inexhaustive, which include greater analytical thinking, critical thinking and writing, as well as gaining the ability to take on and have a better appreciation of difficult questions regarding politics, economics, ethics and religion. For myself, philosophy has proven to be beneficial in furthering my education, as it has formulated a foundation for obtaining an MBA. I will forever be indebted to the gifts and values that come from this field, as it is not just a major but a skill that one acquires.

Matthew C. Rose, class of 2018

Of the many learning experiences I've made at Wichita State University, the department of philosophy and my philosophy classes have stood out above the rest. The study of philosophy has always forced me to question my assumptions about the world and our place within it. The philosophy department challenged me to become a better student by fostering an educational atmosphere that encouraged reasoned discussions, critical insights, and meaningful connections with fellow students and professors. I have no doubt that my future success in law school and the legal world will be due in part to the skills I learned and the experiences I lived as a WSU philosophy major.

Hector Cruz, University of California, Berkeley

The courses I took as a Philosophy major at WSU were indispensable to my success in law school. The critical thinking skills I developed in those classes not only helped me succeed in my law school courses, but also gave me an "edge" in a very competitive academic environment. My training gave me the ability to extract crucial information through careful reading and to logically structure my thoughts. These skills were central to my success on the LSAT, and my admission to a top law school. That same training pays off every day in my career, as well.

Mark Kanaga, J.D., Cornell University, 2006

The analytical and logical reasoning skills I developed through the study of philosophy were essential to my success in preparing for the LSAT and in my law school classes, and are skills which I use every day as a practicing attorney. The LSAT directly tests logical reasoning skills, and these skills also provided me with a solid foundation on which to build my knowledge of the law. I believe that law school, though still challenging, would have been much more difficult had I not developed that foundation as an undergraduate. The faculty in the philosophy department are also top quality educators and mentors who helped me develop my career path.

Vanessa Kanaga, J.D., Cornell University, 2006

Reasonable. Rational. Justified. As a WSU philosophy major (class of 2009), I quickly learned that these concepts are much more complex than I had ever thought. As a philosophy student, I was encouraged to critically analyze complex quandaries that are, generally speaking, without a certain, final answer. Arguments in favor of a particular view require not only compelling reasons for that view, but respectful and critical analysis of other views. As a part of my philosophy education, I was exposed to professors and other students who challenged me to develop my confidence and ability to articulate such rational justifications. I know of no other major that hones these skills as well, and these are exactly the skills that a successful legal education requires.

As a practical matter, I was also introduced to certain philosophers and theories that informed legal theories I encountered even in my very first days at the University of Iowa School of Law--think Dworkin, Mill, and many others. Additionally, Introduction to Logic is possibly the best first step in preparing for the LSAT exam one could take; I still refer to my Logic 125 textbook while helping local undergraduates prepare for the LSAT exam. And, if you've ever had to break down Frege's puzzle, breaking down a Cardozo opinion in your first-year Contracts class will actually seem fun--at least that's what I think.

Mindy Wheeler, University of Iowa

As a student majoring in philosophy at Wichita State University, I was given the opportunity to completely immerse myself in conceptual questions involving the same type of logical and moral principles that form the foundation of the law. I was trained to sift through facts and observations to get to the heart of the issue, engage in critical and objective analysis, and then take a step back and prepare reasoned arguments in advocating a particular position. These skills and experiences, coupled with training in how to express myself clearly in writing, have truly provided me the best opportunity to prepare for and practice in the legal world. I graduated from WSU with the ability to think critically, and the foundation and skills to become a successful legal writer within my grasp.

Lara Geer Farley, former Shocker volleyball player
J. D., Washburn University, 2008