Meet The Fellows

Blake Coleman

I am a sophomore in college, and my major is chemistry!

The LeFrak Forum has helped me in a number of ways, from expanding my view of what's beautiful to deepening my understanding and friendship of those around me. Even though I am a STEM major, being in the LeFrak Forum has helped me see just how much STEM and Philosophy go hand in hand with each other, and how one's strength and ideas in one, deepens understanding in another.

My favorite book is Lord of the Mysteries by a peculiar author named Cuttlefish That Loves Diving. It's an expansive novel that goes into not only why believe in higher powers but the logic and fallacies of what consequences and realities that brings in our day to day life.

The ways in which the LeFrak Forum has challenged me to think differently was to not expect happiness to be directly given to us by society. To discover and find your happiness, you need to look within who you are as a person and not take what society tries to "sell" you as happiness. It has helped me deepen the understanding of myself and why I make choices that hopefully lead to my happiness.

Abby Garrett

Major and Year: Psychology, 3rd Year / Senior

The LeFrak Forum has made me think more deeply about my life by introducing me to new ideas about political theory, happiness, and the good life. Engaging with readings and discussions on these topics has led me to think about how they relate to my life.

The LeFrak Forum has challenged me to think differently through exposure to people and ideas that I would not have been exposed to otherwise. The Forum also fosters healthy debate and conversation about a variety of topics.

Keagan Gessner

How has the LeFrak Forum helped you think more deeply about your own life?

The LeFrak Forum has brought me to think more about what is really important to me and what drives me to do what I do, and ultimately it has to come down to what will make me happiest in the long run. With the Forum's focus being on the "Pursuit of Happiness," I've thought about how what I do and what I want to do is ultimately connected to what makes me happy.

 In what ways has the LeFrak Forum challenged you to think differently?

Since joining the LeFrak Forum, I have been challenged in my confidence in certain philosophical topics...Topics like ethics and justice are an important part of my Human Biology major, and the Forum has developed my understanding of those areas.

Leah Hodge

Psychology 2029

The LeFrak Forum has influenced me to better know and critically think about myself and ideologies I adhere to.

The LeFrak Forum broadened any narrow thoughts or ideas I’ve had and challenged me to connect my ideas and experiences to intellectuals before me to encourage an expansion of my opinions and beliefs.

Lucy Keeton

Junior (third year), Pre-Law Philosophy Major, Peace & Justice Studies Minor and Business Minor

- The LeFrak Forum has been an amazing opportunity to learn about political philosophy, both from professors and peers. Attending LeFrak events has repeatedly challenged me to apply the abstract concepts I learn in my philosophy classes to real life, and exposed me to a diverse array of opinions from others who love the same subjects I do.

Haley Kurak

 Major(s):History, Global and International Studies

 How has the LeFrak Forum helped you think more deeply about your own life?

Because the theme of this year's program is concerned with the "pursuit of happiness," the LeFrak Forum has challenged me to consider multiple versions of what "happiness" is and how I observe it within my own life. The Forum promotes a very different form of self-reflection and awareness among its students!

 In what ways has the LeFrak Forum challenged you to think differently?

Engaging in the opportunities with the LeFrak Forum has encouraged me to draw as many connections as possible between the many different focal points of my studies at MSU. For instance, as a history major, I am often investigating the "what" and the "how" of past and present developments; however, the LeFrak Forum has introduced a deeper philosophical approach to investigating the "why."

Mia Magnabosco

My major is Psychology and Sociology, and I am a Junior

The LeFrak Forum encourages me to think critically in my everyday life, notice nuances in modern discussion, and develop a strong sense of self and how to communicate that effectively.

Anna McAlpine

Political Science, Junior

The LeFrak Forum has helped me to form my own conception of what the "good life" is and challenged me to think about the complex relationship between politics and morality. By exploring the origins of liberalism and some of the challenges it faces, I have developed a deep appreciation for what it offers: the liberty to choose what the good life means to us as individuals.

Jack O’Brien

Major: Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy (James Madison College)

Chloe Parker

Major and year: Political Science Prelaw, Senior

 The LeFrak Forum has allowed me to be more reflective about my choices and the underlying values that guide them. I can interpret my values, perspectives, and understandings within a broader philosophical and political landscape, rather than a series of isolated decisions. In examining political and moral philosophies, the LeFrak Forum has helped refine and reform how I interact with the world. It has challenged my previously held conceptions on my limitations and strengthened my ability to remain flexible in an ever-changing landscape of new information.

 The LeFrak Forum has presented me with the unique opportunity to interact with a wide foray of thought, engage in rigorous debates, and cultivate the genuine curiosity that blossoms when learning from my peers. It has strengthened my confidence in voicing my thoughts and opinions, while providing an interactive environment that allows me to adapt and develop them when introduced to new ideas, concepts, and philosophies. The LeFrak Forum has broadened my learning beyond academia into my lived experience, shaping the kind of person I aspire to be.

 My favorite book is Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. In studying Aristotle's Ethics, I found myself deeply engaged in assessing whether my actions and choices were virtuous and in developing a stronger sense of virtue every day. Aristotle's Ethics was the first work of political philosophy I engaged with in its entirety, rather than merely an excerpt, which helped me better understand his philosophical arguments and how they should be applied in the practice and development of virtue in my life, rather than only in theory. Deeply examining and deconstructing the Ethics encouraged me to read more political philosophers and to continue my formal study of them.

Emma Sruba

Major and class year: Neuroscience, Class of 2029

The LeFrak Forum has helped me think more deeply about my own life through the value of travel and diversity of study, with various classes/panels exploring various philosophical values and texts, as well as trips that have allowed me to explore the historical significance of figures such as cultural icons like William Shakespeare and philosophical pillars like John Locke.

The LeFrak Forum has challenged me to think differently through a lens of love and spirituality. Dr. Rodriguez’s discussions on Aristophanes symposium on love and the two parts of the soul, as well as our exploration of Plato’s Republic have enabled me to view experiences in the context of the soul rather than just the body, which is something I had rarely considered in the past.

Tristan Williams

Thinking about happiness and what it means to be happy has given me a lot of valuable insight of what I should care about and focus on. Without philosophy like this, people are generally lost when it comes to these questions

LeFrak has taught me how to synthesize ideas from a wide range of thinkers and to not think so dogmatically about the deep questions of life. Hearing some of the top professors in their field explain something to you is a lot different than simply reading about it yourself. I have achieved a much firmer grasp of political theory and I am much more confident in engaging with others about complicated ideas.

I am a political science major, third year Senior

Thea Walerski

My name is Thea Walerski, I am a senior this year at Michigan State and will be graduating this upcoming May. I am majoring in Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy at James Madison College, while also completing my Secondary Education (Social Studies 7-12) teaching certification through the College of Education.

Being a part of the LeFrak Forum has allowed me to further explore life's biggest questions through student-driven discussions and events. As an aspiring public servant, the Forum has given me the opportunities to continue to receive an education that is both reflective and critical. The events hosted through the Forum have been able to give me the insights with scholars throughout history and today who consistently challenge and reflect on how to create a better collective political society.

As aspiring educator, and having been able to study at James Madison College, the LeFrak Forum has continued to allow myself to be challenged by life's biggest questions. Although the Forum has challenged me to keep questioning, it has given me the opportunities to begin creating solutions. LeFrak has shown me that there may not be a definitive answer, but we can still challenge ourselves by imagining a political world where we all can strive.