Student resources and opportunities
Contact philosophy@unr.edu for additional details on the items below.
General resources
The department is proud to offer a robust speaker series that brings in philosophers from across the world to speak to students and faculty through the semester. The Q&A portions of these colloquia have dedicated time for student questions, and are followed by an informal reception with light refreshments. In addition, the generous funding of our donors makes other initiatives possible.
The Paul and Gwen Leonard Ethics and Politics Lecture attracts eminent scholars; past speakers include Elizabeth Anderson, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Enrique Dussel, Charles Mills, Jason Stanley, and Jeremy Waldron. The Moran Family Trust in Philosophy Endowment supports initiatives that advance the study of the history, philosophy, and ethics of science, medicine, and technology. Our department has also hosted the meetings of several professional societies, most recently including the Hume Society, the Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology Conference, the Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy, the Southwest Seminar in Early Modern Philosophy, and an international workshop on the philosophy of smell. Please contact the philosophy@unr.edu for our schedule of upcoming events.
Our classes in formal logic—PHIL 114 and PHIL 326—provide invaluable training in analytical thinking (and are excellent preparation for the LSAT for law school admissions), but it can be challenging. We are proud to offer peer undergraduate Logic Tutors whose services are free to students enrolled in those courses.
Our philosophy club gathers undergraduates for friendly and spirited discussion about knotty and intriguing philosophical topics selected by students. The club is run by philosophy majors and minors, funded by the department (which provides free food) and has a faculty advisor.
The mission of the Ethics Bowl Team is to encourage students to deepen their understanding and appreciation of compelling and complex ethical and philosophical issues. As an Ethics Bowl Team member, you have the opportunity to: Collaborate and compete in local, regional, and national Ethics Bowl competitions; identify the ethically relevant considerations relative to the issues raised by the assigned cases and then analyze the importance of the considerations and deliberate to an agreement on positions that the team feels it can explain and defend; and exemplify civil discourse regarding the best methods of ethical reasoning about complex, difficult to resolve, and highly viewpoint-dependent cases. Each fall, we prepare and compete in Ethics Bowl competitions for the chance to go to the National Competition. In preparing these cases, you are able to engage in practical ethical conversations and further your mastery of philosophical thought.
We have recurrent needs for student workers interested in getting involved in the life of the department. In addition to the Logic Tutor position, we have employed students as archivists, manuscript catalogers, conference and event assistants, and grading assistants for our large lecture classes. If you are interested in part-time student employment opportunities with us, please contact philosophy@unr.edu.
“The work I did as an undergraduate research assistant in the department gave me an opportunity to practice and apply the skills I developed throughout my coursework. In particular, assisting in that work enhanced my ability to perform many crucial tasks, including respectfully navigating sensitive topics, contextualizing theories in a broader context, and analyzing problems (as well as articulating conclusions) in a holistic and objective manner. I’m incredibly grateful I had this opportunity, and it has had lasting positive impacts on my career as a research and program analyst!”
~Jaylin Hendricks, BA ’20, Research/Program Analyst at the Guinn Center with a focus on economic and fiscal policy.
A number of our faculty are engaged in scholarly collaboration with students on research projects for either presentation at academic conferences or publication in university presses or philosophy journals. Eligible undergraduate researchers have the opportunity to earn 1-3 University credits per semester with enrollment in PHIL 275. Recently, students have assisted with faculty research on the philosophy of olfaction, slavery reparations, and the translation of French and Italian texts on holenmerism in early modern philosophy.
PHIL 495: Professional Internships
The Department of Philosophy has developed a new undergraduate internship initiative helping our majors and minor to apply their academic background to the workplace.
We have designed a course (PHIL 495: Professional Internship) to couple with real experience in appropriate non-profit, public, research, or private organizations.
The course therefore enables students to make professional connections between their work in Philosophy and potential employment paths after graduation. Students will seek internships through their own initiative and all internships are subject to departmental approval.
Philosophy majors and minors can satisfy their CO 14 requirement by completing PHIL 495.
We encourage all of our students to complete at least one internship during their senior year.
According to a 2021 employer survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, having an internship was the most influential factor in hiring decisions, even more than a graduate’s grade-point average.
There are a few steps in place before you can register for PHIL 495.
Step 1: Contact the internships coordinator
Discuss your interest in PHIL 495 with our Internships Coordinator: Dr. Jason Fisette (jfisette@unr.edu).
- In your message, please provide information about your background and career interests.
- The ideal time to take this step is your final semester of junior year.
Step 2: Find and apply for an internship
We recommend looking for internships early and often, as deadlines for internships are often posted up to three months before the semester begins. Some resources:
- Browse Handshake for internship postings.
- Paying attention to your University email for announcements of possible internship opportunities.
- Reviewing the list of already-approved community partners (a list of organizations University students have interned with previously).
- Meeting and corresponding with the Internship Coordinator for other opportunities.
Step 3: Complete registration forms
After an internship has been secured, the student will need to complete the following as soon as possible:
- Provide the Internships Coordinator with information about the internship, including a schedule and a description of responsibilities.
- Have the site supervisor contact the Internship Coordinator to confirm the details of the internship.
- Submit the student agreement, indemnification waiver, and COVID waiver.
- Complete the sexual harassment and prevention training.
The organization sponsoring the internship must be fully approved by the University by the end of the semester before the internship starts (i.e., internships starting in Fall 2024 need to be approved by the end of Spring 2024).
Students may enroll in PHIL 495 for 1-3 credits based on the following formula:
- 1 credit hour = 40 hours per semester (approximately 2.5 hours per week)
- 2 credit hours = 80 hours per semester (approximately 5 hours per week)
- 3 credit hours = 120 hours per semester (approximately 8 hours per week)
Students will compose weekly reflections, schedule regular meetings with the internship coordinator, produce a résumé in consultation with the Nevada Career Studio, and produce a final summative report.
Pre-law/pre-med workshop
Our department runs an annual personal statement workshop for students applying to law or medical school. The workshop teaches students in these pre-professional tracks how to write a personal statement and provides a space for everyone to share their drafts and benefit from faculty and peer feedback. Open each fall to seniors majoring or minoring in Philosophy, the workshop is capped at ten students and attendance at each weekly session is expected.
Approximately 30-40% of our majors and minors go on to attend law schools across the nation. Our students have recently been admitted to J.D. programs at: Belmont University College of Law, California Western School of Law, Duke University, Georgetown University, Golden Gate University, Hofstra University, Lewis and Clark College, New England Law, Pepperdine University, Quinnipiac University, Seattle University, Stanford University, St. Louis University, University of California, Davis, University of California, Irvine, University of Massachusetts, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of Oregon, University of the Pacific, University of San Diego, and University of Virginia, Willamette University.
Every year, a small but academically outstanding number of our majors and minors go on to attend medical schools. Our students have recently been admitted to the M.D. program at University of Nevada, Reno.
Scholarships
This award is usually made to upper-level undergraduate or graduate students and the central focus of the selection criteria used in making the awards be based on past academic excellence or future academic promise. The Leonard Scholarship therefore recognizes those who most exemplify the philosophers' philosopher. While in part awarded on the basis of academic excellence, the Leonard is also based on skill, joy, and participation in philosophical discussion in the classroom and beyond.
Recent Leonard Scholarship winners
- 2024: Camile Franke and Jerardo Nataren undergraduate; Ryan Ensminger and Karlie Watson, graduate
- 2023: Grace Bautista, Donovan Brooks, and Valeria Hernandez undergraduate; Ryan Ensminger , graduate
- 2022: Madison Comella, Alicia Friedrichsen, and Cierra Randall, undergraduate; Jinshuo Zhang, graduate
- 2021: Alyssa Tudor and Jaxson Turk, undergraduate; Brianne Savage and Dustin Taylor, graduate
- 2020: Jade Boyd and Prism Zephyr, undergraduate; Paige McAllister and Dustin Taylor, graduate
Philip Mataruga earned a B.A. in Spanish and French, but enjoyed his philosophy courses so much that he decided to continue his studies in this area, earning an M.A. in Philosophy a few years later. He spent the majority of his career teaching Spanish and French in Washoe County School District. It is because philosophy has always played such an important role in his personal life that he wanted to establish this scholarship. He hopes it will help students pursue their study of philosophy. The scholarship is also intended to contribute to the Department of Philosophy’s efforts to recruit good students and to support the University of Nevada, Reno in its commitment to excellence in education. Recipients shall be pursuing a graduate degree in Philosophy at the University and the department uses the scholarship to provide the greatest benefit to both students as well as the department.
Recent Mataruga Scholarship winners
- Natassia Zander (2024)
- Natassia Zander (2023)
- Jinshuo Zhang (2022)
- Dustin Taylor (2021)
- Naomi Kandarian (2020)
- Erica Dietlein (2019)
Reuben C. Thompson was the first chair of our department and a professor of Classics and Philosophy for over forty years as well as the University’s Dean of Men (now called the Dean of Students). The Thompson Building on campus is named after him. Subsequently, two of Reuben’s sons became judges, one a federal judge and the other a justice on the Nevada Supreme Court. Among the criteria his family established for the award are upright moral character, strong general scholarship, outstanding work in the Department of Philosophy, and serious interest in the field of Philosophy as evidenced by intention to pursue a major or minor in the field.
Recent Reuben C. Thompson Award winners
- Tristian Lawrence (2024)
- Laureline Lequint and Amanda Williams (2023)
- Amelia Glowniak and Christopher Kern (2022)
- Noemi Valle Diaz (2021)
- Paulina Pride and Jesus Rodriguez (2020)
This award is administered by the College of Liberal Arts and granted to Nevada high school graduates who are completing their bachelor’s degree in May and going on to law school. Nominations are open to graduates in English, Philosophy and Political Science, with preference for students with financial need and a record of community involvement. In recent years, Philosophy undergraduates have won this competitive prize: Lexxie Hall (2023), Kate Torres (2022) and Tyler Harris (2020).
Departmental Student Honors and Distinctions
The Geist Prize honors the philosophy student who has most exemplified the “spirit of philosophy” throughout their time as a philosophy student. The award is a perpetual prize that began as a way to honor Amelia Glowniak (class of 2023), whose tireless service, professionalism, curiosity, general wonderfulness, and excellent philosophical contributions helped to transform the student experience in the department. The Geist Prize can be given to an undergraduate or to a graduate student. The main criterion is the demonstration of a deep love of philosophy and a steadfast commitment to collegiality and inclusiveness.
Recent Geist Prize winners
- (2024) Anders Hoover
- (2023) Amelia Glowniak
Awarded only to graduating undergraduate philosophy majors or minors, the Outstanding Graduate Award honors academic excellence as demonstrated through scholastic achievement, impressive improvement over the course of their academic career, or other outstanding philosophical contributions and achievements.
Recent Outstanding Graduates
- (2024) Grace Bautista, Donny Brooks, Madison Comella, Laureline Lequint and Cierra Randall
- (2023) Pierlys Hawkins, Beau Oster and Aksha Narasimhan
This award honors students who enhance the learning environment in philosophy classes at the University. Students who receive the award must be undergraduates and can be at any stage of their undergraduate career. Distinguished students make the classroom a better place. They are always engaged, prepared for classroom participation, thoughtful, generous toward their peers, and ready with interesting and informed contributions to classroom conversations.
Recent Distinguished Students
- (2024) Katie Oppenheim, Aidan Peterson and Damian Sanford
- (2023) Kate Hovatter, Amy Kemper and Jerardo Nataren
This award honors recently declared philosophy majors or minors who are typically in only their first or second year of undergraduate coursework. These students demonstrate unexpected excellence in philosophy, given their short length of exposure to the field. We look forward with great interest to what they will contribute to their philosophy classes in the future.
Recent Rising Stars:
- (2024) Auston Alverez, Megan Cavallero and Andrew Heinhold
- (2023) Helena Libang and Giselle Ruiz