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DSA’s are nominated by departments or programs. Noah knows firsthand what it’s like to be a Philosophy major. He is available via e-mail and at special campus events to answer your questions. DSAs do not replace academic advisors or faculty, but serve as an additional resource at K.

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What Noah Loves about Philosophy and More

In 20 words or less, what is the best thing about being part of this department?
How small it is! I love how easy it is to get to know everyone.

What is your biggest piece of advice to first years and sophomores about getting connected to this department?
Take as many classes as you can (in and outside of the department) and try to get a feel for what areas in philosophy you’re drawn towards. Philosophy is a diverse, often interdisciplinary field, and so it’s important to play around and see which topics feel most important to you.

What is something you know now that you wish you could tell your first-year self?
You have nothing to be afraid of. Just go and do the thing – nobody else is watching. And get a backup pair of shower shoes.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at K?
How important it is to say “yes” to everything, even when you’re unsure. Things don’t just happen on their own – if you want to experience, you have to be open and receptive to the possibility of experiencing in the first place.

What has been your favorite class at K?
19th-Century Philosophy. This class was everything – a bunch of us lounging around on couches, drinking coffee, talking philosophy.

How have you taken advantage of the open curriculum or experienced breadth in your education?
As a student with two majors and a minor, I don’t usually have a lot of empty space left in my class schedule. But the fact that doing a double major and a minor is not only doable, but extremely attainable, I think it speaks for itself. What I love most about this, though, is how my three fields have always worked together. The cross-fertilization that occurs between my areas has enriched all three of them beyond what any isolated study of each topic could provide.

What experiential education opportunities have you participated in?
I’ve interned in Lansing on a couple of different legislative and electoral projects. I’ve also interned on-campus in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and work this year as Assistant Director of the Writing Center. While in Germany, I interned in a Waldorfschule classroom, and I also work teaching online classes.

What is your SIP?
My SIP focuses on notions of language and world disclosure in Nietzsche and Habermas, to analyze the wholesale emptying of language that occurs in populist discourse.

What are your career aspirations/next steps after K?
I’m applying this year to hopefully return to Germany through the Fulbright program. After that, Master- und Doktoratsstudium.

What is a random fun fact about you?
I went to the same kindergarten as the Jonas Brothers.