What degrees did you earn at NMSU, and when did you graduate?

"I graduated in the Fall of 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Justice, Political Philosophy, and Law; a supplementary major in Law and Society; and a minor in Philosophy."

Which courses or professors had the most lasting influence on you?

"My first philosophy class was with Dr. Noonan for Intro to Philosophy, and I loved being able to come to class and learn about a new facet of philosophy every day. It gave me the confidence to explore philosophy even if I didn’t understand all of it!

Because of that introduction, I learned I really loved moral philosophy and political philosophy. Right now, we live in a world where these two things are so deeply intertwined and sometimes not always for the better, and while the intro class didn’t unravel those things all at once, it pointed me in the direction to start learning and thinking about how to approach those topics.

I’m also deeply indebted to Dr. Cleveland. I took his Social and Political Philosophy class, and it was one of the only times in philosophy I felt completely at home in class. It was a hard class, and the topics and readings were things that usually left me questioning whether I actually knew how to read or understand anything at all! But, the more I applied myself and the more I refused to be comfortable with my own ignorance, the more I found myself being able to read what was being assigned to us (and grasp at least the surface of what I was being taught) and the more confident I got in writing and talking about philosophy."

What is your current position, and what does your work involve day-to-day?

"Right now, I’m working as a Paralegal. Day-to-day I write briefs for cases being litigated, draft motions or pleadings for the attorneys in the office, summarize discovery materials, and field client interactions for the firm."

How has your philosophy training shaped the way you approach your work?

"Philosophy taught me that I don’t know. It sounds simple, and frivolous, but it’s where every person starts. We don’t know. But, philosophy also ingrained in me, class after class, reading after reading, lecture after lecture, that it's possible to build from ignorance. Sometimes it's as simple as going and looking up a rule or statute, other times it’s about sitting and thinking out a problem or idea so you can describe it to another person to ask for help or feedback. Philosophy doesn’t happen while you’re sitting alone in a room with nothing but your own mind (sorry Descartes), Philosophy is about wanting to explore our own thoughts and experiences with others so we can learn and the tools it gives us is the ability to logically order those thoughts and communicate them in ways that give us more knowledge. I don’t always know the answer, but philosophy taught me to process everything I’ve learned or understood up until I’ve hit the wall of ignorance to question those things to see whether I’ve misunderstood something or taken for granted a preconception, and then make a question that will help me move over the hurdle I’m facing.”

What did you do immediately after graduating — further study, work, or something else?

"After graduating I studied for the LSAT and got a job as a Paralegal."

Is there a philosophical idea, argument, or question from your studies that has stayed with you?

"John Rawls's theory of justice has always stuck with me. I learned about it first in Dr. Noonan’s intro course and for my birthday, my roommates randomly found a used copy of his book and gifted it to me. I’ve read and reread, and while I’m still convinced it's way above my abilities as a graduate of philosophy to totally and completely comprehend, it’s still one of the most fascinating philosophical works I’ve come across within the field of philosophy.

Philosophy outside of the actual discipline that I enjoy are the works of Kimberle Crenshaw. Her work developing and expanding critical legal theory beyond the scope of law was one of the reasons I continued to study law even when it was just for fun and not for a class.”

What would you say to a current student wondering what to do with a philosophy or justice, political philosophy and law degree?

"Don’t lose yourself in the ignorance. So much of our discipline is coming to terms with how little we, as individuals, truly know and understand and starting from the foundations of thought to logically build back to a way of categorically exploring some of the most profound and confounding questions we ask ourselves. That exploration and study gives us a unique systematic way to approach the world, it’s something we can apply to every other study and discipline regardless of what we choose to apply ourselves in.

Any job or career field that you want to go into will need these skills. We live in a world where AI is being offered up as an alternative to human capability and critical thought. This is the discipline that subverts that trend. There were so many times that I sat down to read something for class and I didn’t understand any of what I read. Best case scenario, I simply didn’t understand, the worst case I misunderstood completely (like when I read Hume’s position on the social contract theory and thought he actually liked it, sorry Dr. Cleveland). But, our ability as students, and the skill philosophy gives us of always wanting to learn, is our undeniable strength.”

What do you enjoy outside of work?

"One of the professors and I would joke that being in the field of philosophy meant as long as you’re thinking, you’re clocked in and working. So, I love to do things that let my mind relax, whether that’s logging into World of Warcraft, or reading silly little novels, or drinking with friends, or going for a walk, or even volunteering for the Bureau of Elections during voting.”