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Show HUMANITIESS cTiTFV-Tc ROCT grakdictodan epotagya j What is your major and why? I'm majoring in Philosophy. I chose this major primarily because I really enjoyed doing the homework, i.e., reading and thinking about philosophical topics. Besides doing valedictorian-grade work in your classes, what other much about those sorts of things. Whether I perform well in graduate school or on the job market afterward will depend largely upon whether I can stay motivated for the next five to six years and beyond ... Surely it's unclear whether or not I'll ultimately succeed and achieve my goals — and it is a bit of a gamble — but I would be severely depressed if working at Wal-Mart was in my future, so I'll take intimidation and uncertainty over that type of scenario any day. Do you feel they have affected or supplemented your education? you for UC Riverside? Yes, all of these types of things were integral to my education at UVU — and I think that activities such as these are important for anybody's education, whether one is at UVU or Princeton ... you have to get out in the world and get some handson experience. PHOTO BY GILBERT CISNEROS orgen Hansen, Valedictorian for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, has been among the most academically active students to call UVU Alma Mater. Here he discusses his future and how students can make the most of their education. Engaged Learning; I've worked as Managing Editor for Touchstones Literary Journal on campus; I have worked as a teaching assistant for both Statistics and Ethics and Values courses; I've presented nine philosophy papers at various conferences and have published a paper in Cornell's undergraduate philosophy journal. I've also spent time volunteering at animal shelters, running fund-raisers for animal welfare organizations, attending protests, attending reading groups with both students and faculty and so on. on- and off-campus activities have you participated in? Well, I have done a lot of extracurricular activities. I've attended a graduate summer seminar at the University of Colorado, Boulder, for which I received three graduatelevel credits in philosophy; I attended a summer workshop on cognitive neuroscience/cognitive science at the University of Pennsylvania; I was the president of the UVU Animal Allies Club for about 18 months, and helped plan a giant animal ethics conference on campus during that time; I've worked on a grant that assessed UVU's Center for What are your post-graduation plans? I will begin the Ph.D. program in Philosophy at the University of California, Riverside this coming fall. And I hope to eventually get a Ph.D. and find a job teaching philosophy full-time. Impressive. Do you feel intimidated? I would say I'm a little bit intimidated — maybe to a healthy degree — but I don't worry too What part of your UVU education has best prepared I would say the three most primary things are that list of extra-circulars above, the UVU philosophy faculty (who are amazing, by the way) and to a large extent the Honors Program here at UVU. Each of these three things helped to push me to do more, to work harder and have allowed me the freedom and resources necessary to actually stay motivated while working harder. That, and having a fiancee who is extremely supportive. ... That's probably been the most important part of my success thus far. You mentioned animal rights activism. How do you plan on incorporating this passion for animal rights into your graduate education? Interestingly enough, I don't do much philosophical work on animal rights issues. ... That said, I will always stay as active as possible in animal rights and animal welfare. ... I really hope to try and organize another animal ethics conference while at UC Riverside. Beyond that, I plan to continue working with animal rights and animal welfare projects whenever I have free time. Do you have any parting words or words of wisdom for those not yet graduated? Yes, two things. First, thinking about things and talking about things is almost never sufficient; it is absolutely essential to do something, to put in work, about issues that infamously come up while you are in college. If you earn your degree and leave as the same person you were when you entered UVU, you probably did something wrong. Secondly, try to remember that you are alive, conscious and breathing. I really feel that most people take such things for granted. Human beings possess the remarkable ability to peer into the deepest recesses of the cosmos, and to interject themselves into the world's problems and fundamentally change how the future will unfold, and yet most people spend their time sitting on Facebook, watching television and eating food that destroys their body and mind. Don't forget that consciousness is a limited time offer and that you shouldn't squander your opportunity to experience something amazing, something that reminds you that you're alive. uvbooks.com v., —A1111111Pir , • qst textboo -1 Jr prices ';40P't SUMMER NI Si STARTING 0 v\I VV 0 — ECR 5 L ERE ER? 1 1 HISs 5111; p. LEASE NOW FOR SUMMER AND SAVE MOVING BACK HOME? special buyback hours Sam-8pm/april 21-28 5% more in buyback cash HOUSE HUNTING ALL RESERVE YOUR SUMMER WAS SO LAST YEAR... SPOT NOW BEFORE YOU BOUNCE FOR THE IN SOME SWEET SUMMER AND WE'LL THROW NEW TUNES FOR YOUR SUMMER PLAYLIST. boomerang buy •sell• rent 000kS LOCATED AT WOLVERINE CROSSING APTS. 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