Alumni Stories

M.A. Program

  • Fern Alberts, M.A., is teaching in the Department of Philosophy at 91猎奇. 
  • Rocio Alvarez, B.A. and M.A. 2010, is working on her PhD in the Philosophy Texas A&M.  Her specializations are Latin American philosophy, Hegel, Social & Political philosophy, existentialism and phenomenology
  • Abdella Nebi Amino, M.A. 1997 Abdella's thesis was titled: "Nationalism: A Philosophical and a Historical Perspective." Currently he is living in Alexandria, VA working for an E-commerce company in Maryland as a QA Engineer.
  • Paul Bashaw, M.A. 2006, teaches in the Department of Philosophy at 91猎奇.
  • Jonathan Brusco, M.A., teaches Grade 6 and Social Studies at The Harker School and says on his web site: 鈥淎 third-degree black belt in Taekwondo, Mr. Brusco competed in that martial art at the national level. He also enjoys cycling, playing the piano, reading and writing; he has written one novel and is working on his second. Mr. Brusco has ambitions to one day run for political office.鈥�  Jonathan is also on the Board of Trustees of Gavilan College since 2012.
  • Lisa Bernasconi, B.A. 1996, M.A 1999. Lisa now teaches part-time for the Philosophy Department at 91猎奇.
  • Donald Ciraulo.  "Mr. C" has taught at West Valley for over twenty years. In 1995, he received a full-time appointment in Philosophy.
  • Jerald W. Cloyd, B.A., 1967, M.A., 1970, Ph.D. 1975. Teaches in Corrections Department. He enjoys life more because he sees it from a philosophical perspective.
  • Christopher Cloos is working on a PhD at University of California at Santa Barbara and  has two articles forthcoming in 2015 鈥淩esponsibilist Evidentialism,鈥� Philosophical Studies and 鈥淩eflective Equilibrium 鈥� A Brief Introduction,鈥� in Methods in Analytic Philosophy, ed., Joachim Horvath, Bloomsbury.  He also has a philosophy blog at
  • David Danielson, M.A. 1984. David has a tenured position teaching philosophy at College of San Mateo.
  • Tanzeen Doha, M.A. 2007, who received the Herman Shapiro award in 2007. is studying social anthropology and critical theory in the Department of Anthropology at UC Davis,
  • Belinna Dominguez, M.A. 2012, co-owns a real estate company 1 Remax Agents.
  • Sandra Dreisbach gained her PhD from UCSC.  Her interests are Ethics, Ontology, and Philosophy of Technology.  She is also a lecturer there in Biomolecular Engineering at USCS and a founding partner of Ethical Resolve at ethicalresolve.com
  • Daniel Ehrlich,  M.A., is a graduate student at UC Riverside.  He is interested in 19th and 20th century continental philosophy.
  • Andrew Erickson co-authored Logic and Critical Reasoning with Prof. Anand Vaidya through Kendall Hunt in 2011.
  • Timothy Fitzgerald had not completed his degree when he passed away on Jan. 21, 2014.  He published A Diamond in the Rough a book on the recession that began in July 1981 in which unemployment went to 10.8 percent. This was the second volume in a trilogy memoir about his involvement in left political activism in San Jose. The first volume was The Wawona Brotherhood: The San Jose State Campus Revolt, and was about his experience at San Jose State in the 60s and 70s.  
  • Albert Filice III teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Mesa Community College in Philosophy and Religious Studies.
  • Noah Friedman-Biglin, M.A., completed his PhD in philosophy in 2013 at the Arch茅 Philosophical Research Center at the University of St Andrews, in St Andrews, Scotland. His dissertation was entitled 鈥淐arnap's Conventionalism: Logic, Science, and Tolerance.鈥�
  • Sandra Garrison, M.A. 2001, was listed as a counselor in San Jose in a book on Philosophical Practice by Lou Marinoff in 2001. She has also led a Socrates Caf茅 in San Jose for fourteen years.  Sandra Garrison won the Shapiro Prize in 1999 and was President of the Philosophy Club and editor of both volumes of Geist.
  • Karl Fotovat, M.A., is at the New School for General Studies in New York.  He now has an MA in Philosophy and Psychoanalytic Studies, The New School for Social Research.  This year he is a teaching fellow and is a member of editorial staff, Graduate Faculty Philosophy Journal.
  • Richard Friedrich gave 鈥淔ormulae-world, Life-world, and Metaphysics: Husserl鈥檚 Crisis and its Contemporary Relevance,鈥� at the Society for Phenomenology and the Human Sciences, Arlington, 2009.
  • Beverly E. Gallo, M.A. 1984, teaches philosophy at California State University, San Bernardino.
  • Billy Gear, M.A. 2006, teaches in Yuba College鈥檚 Department of Philosophy. He previously taught at Santa Rosa Junior College.
  • Janet Giddings, M.A. 2009, has been teaching with us as a Lecturer since 2009. She writes 鈥渕y main research interests include: the philosophical theology of Edwin Markham; ethics and gambling; human trafficking; theology; secular and religious ethics; philosophical investigations; and pedagogy.  Paper presented "Truly a Preacher: Religious ideas and themes in poetry by the American poet Edwin Markham" at the American Academy of Religion.  She also is a teacher in Religious Studies at Santa Clara University since 2005 and received a Master of Arts in Theology from the University pf San Francisco in 1997.
  • James Grayot, M.A. 2011, is working on a PhD in the Philosophy of Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
  • Roger Hall, M.A., teaches in the West Valley College Philosophy Department. In addition to having received an M.A. from us he did three years of postgraduate work in philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Roger has worked as both a physicist at General Electric鈥檚 nuclear reactor facilities and a technical writer at the Regis McKenna Company.
  • Brenda Hood, B.A. and M.A. 2009, works as Contracts Associate for Pharmacyclics since 2012.
  • Joel Hunt, M.A. 2004, is a philosophy graduate student at University of Nebraska Lincoln. From his website: 鈥淧rior to coming to UNL Joel taught graduate level theology courses for five years. Joel鈥檚 primary philosophical interest is philosophical theology. Joel鈥檚 other philosophical interests include hermeneutics, the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, ethics and political philosophy.鈥�  Joel has been teaching philosophy at Grace University since 2007.
  • Charles James, M.A. 1982, teaches medieval and modern philosophy at St. Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park, CA. He is Associate Professor of Philosophy, and Academic Dean.  His focus is on American philosophy, especially Charles S. Peirce.  鈥淏ecause of his use of medieval philosophty (i.e. Duns Scotus and Thomas Aquinas) I am looking at Peirce's realism and logic as a way of building a rationale for an 鈥楢merican Thomism.鈥欌��
  • Alfred Jan, M.A. Applied Option: Aesthetics 1992, co-edited The Best of Spicy Mystery Vol1 (2012) and The Best of Spicy Mystery Vol 2 (2015), as well as A Gelett Burgess Sampler:  Ethics and Aesthetics (2012).  He believes his education in philosophy has enabled him to better inform his critical thinking and writing. His MA gave him "tools to better participate in the discourse about various genres of art."
  • Michael Jordan, M.A., is teaching for the 91猎奇 Department of Philosophy and is coordinator of the Ethics Bowl.
  • Christopher Kinney, M.A. 2009, is adjunct professor in Philosophy at Ashford University, DeVry University, South University, Southern New Hampshire U., and Northern Virginia Community College. 
  • Timothy Kunke. M.A., is in the PhD program in Philosophy at University of Edinburgh with interest in Epistemology and Philosophy of Mind.
  • Evan Lam, M.A., is a grad student at UCSC.  His interests are Contemporary European Philosophy and Political and Social Philosophy.
  • Andrew Lavin, M.A. 2013, published 鈥淭he Theological Use of Infinity鈥� in Dialogue in 2011. Dialogue is the official journal of Phi Sigma Tau, the International National Honor Society in Philosophy.
  • Trung Le, M.A., is College Admission Consultant at Bay Area College Consulting.
  • Jim Lindahl, B.A.1985. M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario, 1989, Ph.D. in Philosophy from Western Ontario in 1999. He now teaches part-time for the Philosophy Department at 91猎奇, and part-time for Humanities.
  • Dr. Lindahl teaches in both the departments of Philosophy and Humanities at San Jose State University. He teaches courses in World Civilizations, Ethics, and Philosophy of Literature.
  • Jos茅 L贸pez, M.A., is at Texas A&M and writes on his web site 鈥淢y research interest in philosophy is the juncture between Pragmatism, Post-structuralism, and Latin American philosophy.鈥�
  • Michelle Livsey, B.A., 1993, M.A. 1995, received a J.D., 1998. Michelle is staff attorney for the California Office of Legal Services.  She says her education in philosophy was very helpful in law school, and that in the practice of law it provides a different perspective.
  • Denise Meda, M.A., is working at Mount Saint Mary College teaching Critical Thinking.
  • Eric Messe,  M.A., is, as his web site puts it, 鈥渃reative seeker, free thinker, organist, event producer, broadcaster, author on esoteric subjects. Author of Horoscope for the New Millennium and The Philosophers Wheel, producer of Holistic Arts Fair and (formerly) New Age Renaissance Fair, astrologer/tarot reader, 鈥� runner, Green Party member, radio host.鈥�
  • Andrew Messchaert, M.A. 1995, is Professor of Philosophy at Porterville College.
  • Rick Morris, M.A. 2013, is a student at UC Davis Department of Philosophy.
  • David L. Nelson, M.D. M.A. 1975, practices in Marin County. He specializes in hand surgery. 
  • Tony Nguyen, M.A., teaches in the Department of Philosophy at 91猎奇.
  • Anthony Nispel, M.A. 1989, has been an instructor for Goodwill's adult job-training division and a volunteer for Our City Forest, San Jose.
  • Paul Newberry, B.A., M.A. 1973, writes in 2015 that he 鈥渂egan teaching with just a couple of courses, first at Bakersfield College (one course) and then at Portland C.C. (one course) in 1980-1. After working several years for a civil engineering firm here in Bakersfield and feeling like this was not really for me, I pursued teaching in earnest in 1986. After a few years and with the encouragement of my colleagues, I entered a PhD program at Claremont Graduate University in 1990 and completed my studies in 1995. A few years later I landed a tenure-track position at CSU Bakersfield.鈥� 
  • Art Ordaz, M.A. 1999, is doing security work, and taking it easy this semester (Spring 2000). He is interested in going on to study for a Ph.D. with a focus on realism. He is also applying for a certificate program in Counseling for Drug and Alcohol at 91猎奇. Art benefited from the students over-60 program when he was at 91猎奇 (paying only $45 per semester in fees!).
  • Eric Palfreyman, M.A. 1998, taught Philosophy and English at Collins College between 2001 and 2006.  He has a JD from SMU. He is now writers Proposals, Technical Writer, and Business Development for Bailey Tool and Manufacturing Company in Lancaster, Texas.  He is also working on a book on Ray Bradbury and another on the Sermon on the Mount.  He worked between 2010 and 2014 at Sr. Advisor, Proposals; Content Manager for Dell Services.  He states that philosophy and the process of critical and systematic thinking color everything he does -- from his personal to his professional life. He is a big fan of the expression that "the unexamined life is not worth living". 鈥淲hile an examination of my life would reveal the sad truth, that not all of my critical thinking has born financial fruit in my life, I am the richer for thinking carefully through life issues before making decisions."
  • Michael Pankrast, M.A., notes on his Linkedin page that he teaches as an adjunct at Argosy University and Ashford University and works as a marketing writer for Hoffman Construction in Portland. 
  • Leila Parello, B.A., 1982, M.A., 1985, has been teaching Philosophy at Grossmont College in El Cajon since 1997 and is owner School of Ballet Arts since 2011. She says her experience working in our Logic Lab has helped her to become an instructor for logic and critical thinking classes. Without that experience, she never would have had the self-confidence to do so.  She is working on pursuing further graduate study to explore the question, as she has put it to me 鈥渞ole of imitation in learning with respect to internal, mental representations and exploring the degree to which behaviorism undermined the mentalist approach, while ideas from the Rationalists and the fields of linguistics and semiotics have done the opposite. How can we explain the performing art forms without some sort of learning process that involves imitation?鈥�
  • Will Parkhurst, M.A. 2014, who won the Lydia A. and George V. Pinto Scholarship (for commitment to Social Justice, Service to Community, and Love of Philosophy) in 2013, is now in the University of South Florida PhD program.
  • Krupa Patel, M.A., is currently at University of New Mexico in the graduate program in Philosophy.  Her interests are Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science, Phenomenology, and Plato.
  • Richard Payne, M.A. 1975, is Dean, Institute of Buddhist Studies, Graduate Theological Seminary since 1994: "despite my best struggles to avoid it, logic has in fact proven very important in further intellectual endeavors. Also, I continue to work in methodology of the study of religion which involves epistemological concerns as well as the philosophy of science; one of the areas our Institute is exploring now is that of Buddhism and Science, and I am personally doing work on comparative logic (Indian Buddhist logic and natural kinds theory)."
  • George Pinto, M.A. 1991, is founding Partner, Silicon Valley Accountancy Corporation: "Without a philosophical background I simply would not be successful. Note I did not say "as successful" but 'would not be successful'." George also teaches part-time for the Philosophy Department at 91猎奇.
  • Geoffrey Propheter, M.A. 2006, writes on his web page that he is 鈥渁 PhD student in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy.鈥� In addition, he is 鈥渁 research assistant on the Significant Features of Property Tax project. My concentration is in state and local public finance with a particular focus on consumption tax policy.鈥�  Geoffrey currently teaches courses at Long Island University in public policy in the School of Business, Public Administration and Information Sciences. He is also a Property Tax Analyst for The New York City Independent Budget Office.
  • Brain Prosser, M.A. 1999, studied at Fordham University and received his PhD at UC Santa Cruz in 2013. He is an adjunct professor at San Jose State. He published   鈥淜nowledge of the Heart: Ethical Implications of Sociological Research With Emotion.鈥� Emotion Review 7 (2) (2015):175-180.
  • Laura M. Purdy, B.A. 1970, M.A.1971, got a PhD from Pittsburgh in 1974. She teaches at Wells College and specializes in Ethics, Applied Ethics, Bioethics, Feminism, Education, and Family Issues. She co-authored a book Bioethics, Justice and Health Care in 2000 from Wadsworth.
  • Jesus Ramirez, B.A. 2004, M.A. 2008, plans to finish his Ph.D. from University of South Florida in Philosophy in 2016. He is a philosophy instructor at Polk College, University of South Florida, and Hillsborough Community College.
  • Sara Rettus, M.A. 2006, received a Ph.D. from UCSC in Summer, 2010.  Her dissertation was "A Groundwork for the Ethical and Social Implications of Intimacy" She teaches at Ohlone college
  • Carolyn Robbins, M.A. 2010, is in the PhD program in Sociology at Emory University with a special interest in medical sociology and sociology of culture.
  • Reuben Rutledge, M.A. 1988, has been working on a PhD at the California Institute of Integral Studies.  He is associated with Synchronized Chaos Magazine and specializes in Comparative Religions Studies.
  • Tricia Ryan, M.A. 2014, became Director of Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations at 91猎奇 in 2015. She still reads Spinoza on her spare time.
  • Carlos Sanchez, M.A. 2000, received his PhD from the University of New Mexico in 2006 and is Full Professor of Philosophy at 91猎奇. 
  • Shari Sharoki, M.A., is teaching as an adjunct in Philosophy at Evergreen College.
  • Philip Schoenberg, B.A. and M.A., is a grad student at the University of Mexico.  His philosophical interests are Pragmatism; American Philosophy; Existentialism & Phenomenology; Philosophy of Religion; Applied Ethics. His working dissertation Title/Topic is "Recovery and Reconstruction: Charles Taylor and John Dewey on Disenchantment and Secularity." He gave 鈥淐omments on 鈥淭he Proto-Morality of Life: Primary Recognition in Axel Honneth鈥檚 Reading of Phenomenology of Spirit,鈥� American Philosophical Association (APA) Pacific Division Meeting, 2010, and 鈥淟ife as a Core Text: Emerson鈥檚 鈥楢merican Scholar鈥� and American Democracy,鈥� 18th Annual Conference of the Association for Core Texts and Courses, 2012, Milwaukee.
  • Christopher Schwartz, B.A. 1987, has been a network architect who has worked for Nokia, Ariba and Hewlett Packard.
  • Michael P. Sipiora, B.A. and M.A., also has an M.A. and a Ph.D. in phenomenological psychology with a concentration in literature from the University of Dallas. He is a practicing psychologist and also, since 2009, is Professor at Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpinteria CA, Clinical Psychology Program.  His areas of teaching and publication include: the phenomenology of Heidegger, Hillman's archetypal psychology, classical rhetoric and psychotherapy, and cultural psychology.  He has published work in The Humanistic Psychologist and Philosophy Today. He also has an essay in the recently published Pathways into the Jungian World: Phenomenology and Analytic Psychology, edited by Roger Brooke.
  • Elizabeth Sonnier, M.A. 1993, has a PhD in Philosophy from Fordham (2003) and is working in the Philosophy Department at 91猎奇 as an adjunct. Her areas of interest are philosophy of science, process philosophy, logic, and French phenomenology and existentialism. She also holds a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science from LSU and has worked for many years as a librarian, with special enthusiasm for indexing the Internet.
  • Tatiana Bertshinger, M.A. 2000. Tatiana's M.A. thesis "Quality and Quantity" was nominated by the Philosophy Department for the University's Outstanding Thesis Award for 1999-2000. Although she did not win the award, Acting Dean Lucius Eastman wrote: "Your graduate thesis is an outstanding example of the highest attainment of students in the California State Universities."
  • Joshua Bronson, M.A. 2005, is a Theology and Philosophy Teacher at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in London, Associate Tutor Birkbeck, University of London, and PhD candidate Birkbeck, University of London.
  • June Brown, M.A. 2013, who won the Temple prize for outstanding paper in 2013, is now in the University of South Florida Philosophy PhD program.
  • Dirk Bruins, M.A. 2000, works as an RN for the Department of Veteran Affairs.  He was a philosophy instructor at Evergreen College from 1999-2006.  
  • Melissa Burchard, M.A. 1990, is Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, University of North Carolina, Asheville. 鈥淧rofessor Burchard's areas of focus in teaching and research include theoretical and applied ethics, social and political philosophy, and feminist theory. Specific research projects have recently included inquiry into the ethics of television's programming for children, including representations of diversity in such programming, inquiry into the meaning of violence and the connections between violence and rationality, and the use of the concept of perversion in the construction of identity.鈥� She published "What's an Adoptive Mother to Do? When Your Child's Desires are a Problem." Coming to Life, Fordham University Press, 2012.         
  • Henry Liem, M.A. 1996, teaches Philosophy at San Jose City College.
  • Mary Ann Shukait, B.A., M.A., taught in our department for several years after a career in the high-tech sector of the semiconductor industry. Management positions in that industry included Director of Corporate Education and Training for a semiconductor hardware manufacturer and Engineering Section Head for a semiconductor chip manufacturer. She also developed and taught process engineering courses for Novellus, Inc. and Applied Materials.
  • Andrew Soto, M.A. 2014, is in the PhD program of the Philosophy Department at Texas A & M.  His interests are: Latin American Philosophy, Critical Race Theory, Classical American Philosophy, Existentialism, Pragmatism, Social and Political Philosophy, Africana Philosophy.
  • Scott Stroud, M.A. 2002, received his PhD from Temple University, Philadelphia. He is an Associate Professor of Communications Studies at UT Austin. He is currently a visiting fellow at Princeton 2014/15.  Scott has published numerous articles and has recently published two books:  John Dewey and the Artful Life:  Pragmatism, Aesthetics and Morality (2012) and Kant and the Promise of Rhetoric (2014).   
  • John P. Sullins, M.A. 1996, received his Ph.D. from Binghamton University (SUNY), 2002, and is now a professor at Sonoma State University, specializing in philosophy of science and technology, philosophical issues of artificial intelligence/robotics, cognitive science, engineering ethics, and computer ethics. He is winner of the 2011 Herbert A. Simon Award for Outstanding Research in Computing and Philosophy by the International Association for Computing and Philosophy. He published 鈥淲hen is a Robot a Moral Agent鈥� in Machine Ethics ed. Michael Anderson and Susan Leigh Anderson, Cambridge University Press, 2011.
  • John Robert Sumser, B.A. 1978, M.A. 1979, received a Ph.D. in Sociology, from SUNY, in 1989.  He is emeritus Professor, Department of Communication Studies, California State University, Stanislaus.  John received a Fulbright Grant to the Czech Republic in 2010.
  • Nikhil Thakur was an MA student in Philosophy from 1997-1999. He completed his doctorate in Social and Cultural Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in 1999.  He is in information technology services and is a co-Founder of Zelltron, 2013, and a Partner of Enterprise Solutions, Inc. since 2012.
  • Rafael Ulate, M.A. 1998, is Assistant Dean, Arts and Sciences, Santa Clara University.  His web site says that, 鈥淚nspired by his Spanish heritage (including a love of jam贸n serrano, Semana Santa and tauromaquia), his graduate studies at San Jos茅 State University focused on philosopher Jos茅 Ortega y Gasset. An avid traveler, he has trekked across northern Spain on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.鈥�
  • Barbara Jean Upton, M.A. 1995, teaches Philosophy at West Valley College.
  • Daniel Wagnon, M.A. 2012, is working on his PhD in Philosophy at the New School for Social Research
  • John Ward, M.A., is student in Philosophy of Education at the University of Utah. His web page says 鈥淗is current research is in Educational Assessment, specifically working to set appropriate goals that allow for both student choice and objectively based assessment. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, putting in thousands of miles on his bike, and following new social media trends.鈥�
  • Christian Wellisch, B.A. 2004, M.A. 2012, is a native of Hungary and is a former professional marital arts competitor.  He is a judge advocate general officer for the California National Guard鈥檚 49th Military Police Brigade. He holds a law degree from Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.
  • Loren White, M.A. 2008, received a Graduate Certificate from Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service and Advanced International Affairs and is Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholars Office Contractor, American Chemical Society since 2014.  He publishes extensively in foreign affairs, for example, Dissecting an Evolving Conflict: The Syrian Uprising and the Future of the Conflict, a report for New America Foundation & Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, June 2013.
  • John Wilhelmsson, M.A. 2007, has self-published (Chaos to Order Publishing) several books over the last few years including his award winning master's thesis "The Transposition of Edith Stein: Her Contributions to Philosophy, Feminism & The Theology of the Body,鈥� 鈥淎 Pilgrimage to Iceland," and 鈥淭ales of the Theotokos: Mary in the Personal, Historical, Scriptural, and Spiritual Realms.鈥� (2013)  John has taught as an adjunct in the Department of Philosophy since 2007.  He has also owned his own locksmith shop John Lock and Key since 2003.
  • Dan Williamson, M.A., received his Ph.D. from University of California at Riverside. He now teaches part-time for the Philosophy Department at 91猎奇.
  • Phil Williamson, M.A., is at the University of New Mexico with interests in History of Philosophy, Phenomenology of the social world, Husserl and Heidegger. He gave 鈥淩orty鈥檚 Ironic Atheism: Towards a Neo-Pragmatic Philosophy of Religion,鈥� at the 12th Annual Meeting on Pragmatism, in November 2009, Sao Paulo, Brazil, comments on 鈥淭he Proto-Morality of Life: Primary Recognition in Axel Honneth鈥檚 Reading of Phenomenology of Spirit,鈥� at the APA Pacific Division Meeting in March, 2009, and comments on 鈥淪elf-Awareness, Self-Understanding, and Self-interpretation,鈥� at the APA Pacific Division Meeting, 2009.  He is developing a thesis on Morton White.
  • David Yang,  B.A., 2013, is a High School English Teacher at CIEE.  He is also a Hardware Evaluation Volunteer for Free Geek and a Emergency Services Officer volunteer for the Civil Air Patrol.
  • Takeshi Young, SEO Manager at Optimizely, Marketing and Advertising
  • Wayne Yuen, B.A. 2000, M.A. 2002, is a full-time faculty member in Philosophy at Ohlone College. He recently edited The Walking Dead and Philosophy:Zombie Apocalypse Now (Open Court, 2012) 
  • Kyle Yrigoyen, M.A., 2013, who won our Manor Prize for Outstanding Logic Student, is now teaching in our department as a Lecturer.  He teaches courses in logic & critical thinking, philosophy of science, philosophy of technology, ethical theory, and applied ethics.  Kyle has also been involved in the Ethics Bowl as a volunteer since 2013.       

B.A. Program

(B.A. Alumni who also got an M.A. from our department are listed under M.A. Alumni)

  • Aaron Adam writes: 鈥� I just received a job offer to be part of the Gideon's Promise Law School Partnership Project.  Gideon's Promise is an organization based out of Atlanta that is devoted to reforming public defense in the South. The organization pairs law schools and students with public defender organizations throughout the South. For the first year in a partner public defender office, the school covers the salary of the student. Then, within a year the partner office agrees to move the student into permanent employment (hence the partnership). I received an offer to work with the public defender's office in Lafayette, Louisiana, and thus will be taking the bar there this coming July.Tarun Arora, B.A., J.D., University of Miami School of Law, is an Associate of Inventus Law since 2010.
  • Jennifer Connor, B.A., received a Ph.D. in Social/Environmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate School and now teaches at Washington Institute of Technology.
  • Robert Daigle, B.A. 1984, is a Project Manager at UCLA. His web site says: 鈥淚 am a Project Manager with Project Management Professional (PMP) certification since 2005 and over 8 year's successful experience managing a variety of IT (Infrastructure, Application Development), Facilities, Business, and other related projects, and directing project teams, in the higher education, local government, and corporate (Healthcare/Regulatory) sectors.鈥�
  • Matthew DellaBetta, B.A., received a J.D. at the UCLA School of Law and is now Assistant District Attorney at Manhattan D.A.
  • Paul N. Duggan, B.A. 1980, with a second major in Psychology, went on to become Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Desktop Networks Business Unit of Standard Microsystems Corporation, and retired in 1996. He now consults for the computer industry on issues of marketing, venture investments, and mergers/acquisitions.
  • Elle Falahat, B.A. Philosophy and Computer Science, Private Practice Criminal Defense Attorney/Litigator Specializing in DUI/Substance Abuse - Based in SF Bay Area.
  • Kelly Ferris, B.A.2011, is an Executive Assistant Driver Group, L.L.C. since February 2015
  • Aaron Fiorucci, (B.A., 2013)  writes 鈥淚 found myself selling enterprise storage for a company called Pure Storage in Mountain View. We actually just went public a couple weeks ago so I get to ride the roller coaster that is Silicon Valley for a while. Quite a 180 degree flip from law school, but I have always been passionate about tech so I found a way to get into the field without too much technical training. Believe it or not, I work on the same floor as two other philosophy majors here!" 
  • John Freeseman, B.A. Philosophy and Psychology (Pre-Theological), writes on his web page: 鈥淔ollowing his graduation from San Jose State he attended Concordia Seminary, St.Louis, Missouri. After the split in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, he graduated from Christ Seminary Seminex in 1975, and was ordained in Burlingame, CA in 1976 (having been called as an Apartment Minister in the Burlingame/San Mateo area).鈥�  He is pastor of Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church.  He writes in 2015 that has been 鈥渋n present pastorate since 1991. Recipient of Gertrude Welch Ecumenical Award and Richard Peterman Good Steward Award. Multiple time president of California Council of Churches and of Council of Churches of Santa Clara County. Engaged in workers' rights activities.鈥� 
  • Matthew Frise, B.A. 2007, has recently written:  鈥淭his May I am graduating from the University of Rochester with a Ph.D. in Philosophy. On June 1, 2015, I begin a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at Baylor University, as part of the Nature and Value of Faith project. Presently I have a visiting dissertation fellowship at Saint Louis University, as part of the Philosophy and Theology of Intellectual Humility Project. In 2010 I graduated with an M.A. in Philosophy from UC Santa Cruz.鈥�
  • Greg Garcia, B.A. 2005, received an M.A. in Education, University of Phoenix, in 2008.  He is founder of the Academy of Martial Philosophy in 2002 and is a Master Instructor at Epic Martial Arts.
  • Ronald Grant, B.A., is a therapist who does counseling and psychotherapy in Los Gatos
  • Daniel A. Guich, B.A. Philosophy-Psychology, has been in the Department of Psychology, Mission College since 1990.
  • Craig A. Hansen, B.A 1996 works as an Associate for Beck, Ross, Bismonte & Finley, LLP.  He was admitted to the bar in 2000, and received a J.D., University of San Diego, 2000.
  • Nancy Teryl Harcourt is Student Scheduling Advisor at the Fort Collins campus Institute of Business and Medical Careers (as of 2009).
  • Noel Hendrickson, B.A., is program chair, Department of Integrated Science and Technology James Madison University where his web site says 鈥渉e developed and now teaches a series of four courses on advanced reasoning methods for intelligence analysis (Hypothesis Testing, Causal Analysis, Counterfactual Reasoning, and Strategy Assessment).鈥� Moreover, 鈥渢hese courses serve as the 鈥渃ritical thinking鈥� component of JMU鈥檚 Information Analysis major, which is designed to educate future intelligence analysts.鈥� Noel鈥檚 graduate work was at the University of Wisconsin where he earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Philosophy. 
  • Rosie Rocha, B.A., 2013, writes in 2015 that 鈥淎fter graduating, I worked at a middle school in Santa Cruz, CA in the administration department and realized my love for education so I decided to join AmeriCorps and do a year of service with City Year in Boston, Massachusetts.鈥�
  • Tanya Rodriguez, B.A. 1999, received her PhD. from U. of Minnesota in 2007 with an emphasis on Philosophy of Art and Moral Theory. She is Assistant Professor at John Jay University (CUNY).  She co-wrote 鈥淔leshy Canvas:  The Aesthetics of Tattoos from Feminist and Hermeneutic Perspectives,鈥� for Tattoos - Philosophy for Everyone: I Ink, Therefore I Am ed.  Robert Arp (John Wiley & Sons, 2012).  She also published. 鈥淣umbing the Heart: Racist Jokes and the Aesthetic Affect,鈥� Contemporary Aesthetics Vol. 12, 2014.
  • Gary Rose. B.A. 1973, is a practicing lawyer in Los Gatos.
  • Nick Rotsko, B.A. 2005, graduated from The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., cum laude, in 2010 and now is an Associate for Phillips Lytle LLT in business litigation. Nick was a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Victor J. Wolski, United States Court of Federal Claims, 2011-2012, is Executive Committee Member Federalist Society鈥檚 Litigation Practice Group,
  • Vlad Sankin, B.A. 2002, Staff Software Engineer at AppDirect.
  • Kenneth Schieck, B.A. 1968, works for the California Employment Department in Campbell, where he helps military veterans find employment.  He is active in the International Association of Workforce Professionals.
  • John Schrumpf, B.A. 1993, is an Unemployment Appeals Representative (Independent Contractor) since 2010.  He represent clients at EDD unemployment appeal hearings. Research and obtain information from clients regarding employee separation.
  • Amber Simons, B.A. 2011, is Guest Service Agent, TownePlace Suites by Marriott.
  • William E. Tinsley, B.A. 1953, retired from Foothill College as Professor of Philosophy and History. He still teaches there part-time.
  • JeanPaul Vessel studied at 91猎奇 1989-1991 but got his BA at New Mexico State University (June 1993). He received a Ph.D. in Philosophy University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2003 and teaches in Philosophy at University of New Mexico.
  • Erika Voelker, B.A. 2005, Administrative Assistant Little Steps Preschool since 2007, Assistant to General Director, Mission City Opera since 2003.
  • Amit Vyas, B.A., is V.P. of Sales at Highfive since 2014, His web site says 鈥淎mit is responsible for building and scaling a high-performance sales organization and driving all revenue growth. Known for his energy, motivating leadership style and sharp attire, Amit brings over 15 years of experience across IT, networking, direct and channel sales.鈥�
  • Jeffrey Young, B.A., teaches Psychology at North Central University, AZ. His Psychology PhD was in Social/Environmental Psychology, Claremont Graduate School. 
  • Takeshi Young, B.A. 2007, is SEO Manager at Optimizely since 2015.
  • Tamer Abuelata, B.A., is Director of Engineering at PolyCore Software.
  • Richard Albertson, B.A., Department of Religious Studies, Merylhurst University, notes on his web page that his 鈥渕ain interest in philosophy is epistemology, phenomenology, and hermeneutics, with a strong emphasis on the differences and relationships of science, philosophy, spirituality鈥� and in 鈥渢he relationships of gender, power knowledge.鈥� He is presently working on a doctorate at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
  • Richard C. Baldwin, B.A.1970 received his Juris Doctorate from Northwestern School of Law in 1975 and has been Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge from 2001.
  • Christopher Barber, B.A. 2012, M.A. 2014, is a free-lance philosophical writer, tutor and teacher.
  • Adam Belohradsky, B.A. 2014, is Lead Account Manager at K2 Consulting Inc.
  • Timothy Blackwood, B.A. 1964, received a JD in law, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1972.  Timothy has come back as a volunteer Ethics Bowl debate coach since 2010. He is also Humanist Group Leader and Developer, First Unitarian Church of San Jose since 2009.
  • Bob Bishop, B.A. Philosophy/Religious Studies 1979, is a motivational speaker, magician, and educator.  He has taught in the Boise School District for twelve years.  He is also known as Idaho鈥檚 Math Magician.
  • Todd Bodner, B.A. Philosophy and Psychology, received his PhD at Harvard University in 2000 and is Associate Professor of Psychology at Portland State University.  He is interested in quantitative methods and applied statistics, meta-analysis, missing data, and exploring new technologies for psychological science
  • Adam Belohradsky. B.A 2014, is a Sales Associate at Gap Inc./Old Navy Orange County, and was Lead Account Manager at K2 Consulting Inc in 2014.  His Linkedin account says he is 鈥渟eeking an opportunity in the tech, gaming, and/or media spaces where I can apply my extensive logic, interpersonal, and leadership skills.鈥�
  • Ron Burke, B.A. Philosophy and Psychology 1974 is Center Director for New Mexico MEP (Manufacturing Extension partnership) since 2008.
  • Colin Caret, B.A. 2004, is Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Underwood International College at Yonsei University, South Korea. Before that he was a postdoctoral research fellow on the Foundations of Logical Consequence project at the University of St. Andrews. He completed his PhD at the University of Connecticut.  His areas of expertise are logic, epistemology, and the philosophy of language.  He edited in 2015 [with Ole Hjortland] Foundations of Logical Consequence, Oxford University Press.
  • Alexander Cassimus, B.A. 1980, is Human Resources Site Manager at Orchard Supply Hardware. He writes that philosophy has shaped his life in a strong way. He continues to read and write in phenomenology.
  • Kenn Chase, BA, works for Cardiovascular Associates of Marin and San Francisco Medical Group. His web site says 鈥淜enn Chase is an internationally acclaimed Yang Style Tai Chi teacher and certified Feldenkrais鈩� Practitioner.  As a graduate student in philosophy he was intrigued with Eastern Philosophy, which led him to study Tai Chi with Master Kam Man Choy in San Francisco, CA.鈥�
  • Anna B. Chua, B.A. 2006, is Registered Nurse Stroke/Telemetry Unit Kaiser Permanente since August 2010.
  • William Cornwell, B.A. 1990, is Professor of Philosophy at Salem State College.  His areas of specialization are epistemology and philosophy of mind.  He published 鈥淗uman Nature Unbound: Why Becoming Cyborgs and Taking Drugs Could Make Us More Human鈥� in Values & Technology, Religion & Public Life vol. 37, ed. Gabriel Ricci (Piscataway, NJ: Transaction, 2010).
  • Chris Howden, B.A. 1993, is teaching in the Cupertino Union School District and the Palo Alto Unified School District. In answer to the question, "How has your education in philosophy shaped your life?" he replied, "How hasn't it?"
  • James H. Hood, B.A. 1940, is a retired high school mathematics teacher. He says the quality of his life was enriched by his education in philosophy.
  • John Hummer, B.A. 1984 in Philosophy and Psychology, is Gateway Director U.S Maritime Administration since 2009.   .
  • Thomas Jewell, B.A. 1985, is Trainer/Counselor/Facilitator, Contra Costa County Office of Education since 2005.  He is also a Consultant, Life Coach, and Teacher for Yes Enterprises since 2003, and a Mental Health Clinician for Contra Costa County Mental Health since 2002.
  • Ramon Jimenez, B.A., 2004, is received his Santa Clara University School of Law, Juris Doctor 2008, Honors. He gained SCU-Law Faculty Scholarships in 2005, 2006, and 2007.  He has worked for J.E. Higgins Livermore, Intellectual Property Review since October 2010.
  • Bhawana Kamil, according to the Muslim American Society web site, is president of their Bay Area chapter.  She has given public talks on such topics as 鈥楢n Introduction to Islam,鈥� and 鈥榃omen in Islam.  She serves on the Interfaith Council for Economics and Justice (ICEJ) for the County of Santa Clara, and is a member of the Speakers Bureau for California Interfaith Power and Light, an interfaith environmental advocacy group.
  • Kevin Keith, B.A. 1991, is working on his PhD in Philosophy (Bioethics) CUNY Graduate Center. He received an M.A. in Philosophy from Georgetown in 1994, and published 鈥淟ife Extension: Proponents, Opponents, and the Social Impact of the Defeat of Death鈥� in Speaking of Death: America's New Sense of Mortality, Michael K. Bartolos, ed. (Praeger Publishers, 2009).
  • James Kellenberger, B.A. 1960, was Professor of Philosophy, CSUN, is now emeritus. His most recent book is Dying to Self and Detachment (Ashgate, 2012)
  • Riley King, B.A. 2014, is studying at the University of Georgia School of Law
  • Michael J. Larson, B.A. 1991, owns a machine shop and intends to do art. He says "Philosophy has shaped my life. I think about life and how I spend my time."
  • Steve Larson, B.A. 1964 Philosophy/Psychology, went on to get an MA in History.  He is Principal Partner, California Strategies  He has also been a Peace Corps Volunteer; Director, State Senate Budget Committee ED California Energy Commission; Chief Deputy Director of the State Department of Finance; ED California Public Utilities Commission; and CEO, Woodside Natural Gas of California
  • Gordon Lawrence, B.A. 1955, owns a concessions company in Kings Canyon National Park. In answer to the question, "How has your education in philosophy shaped your life?" he writes the single word "foundation."
  • Linda N. Lorenzetti, B.A. 1963, does consulting and testing user applications for Stanford University's Administrative System and provides support for student financial aid applications. Philosophy, she says, has been a great background for branching out into other areas.
  • Geraldine Andersen Luzietti, B.A. 1950, received her M.A. in Art in 1956. She is a painter and feels that philosophy was a wonderful prelude to art. Dr. Fallico's classes changed her focus from law to philosophy.
  • Todd Madigan, B.A. 1995, received the Schapiro Award and the Temple Prize as a student. He is working on a PhD. in Sociology at Yale and has worked as a Young Adults Career Specialist.  In his last job he worked for hopeFound Boston, with Boston鈥檚 homeless 18-24 year-olds in their efforts to secure education, employment, and housing
  • Mark Monroe is a Regulatory Specialist at Delaware Social Services and CEO of Cultural Diversity Solutions, Inc.
  • Shirindokht Nourmanesh, B.A. 1998, and received an M.A. in English in 2007.  She taught Art Appreciation, Introduction to Philosophy, and Principles of Ethics at Northwestern Polytechnic University 2011-2015, and is a lecturer who teaches writing at 91猎奇. She is working on a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology from Sophia University  She was Interim Library Director at Sofia University in 2015. 
  • Peter O鈥橲ullivan, B.A. 2002, had received an MFA in Creative Writing in 2007 and is a lecturer at San Jose State since 2010 in first-year writing. He is also a teacher of Excel Test Prep since 2010, teaching grammar and essay writing to students preparing for both the SAT I exam and the ACT exam.
  • Kathleen Sullivan, B.A. 1973, is adjunct faculty member in Philosophy at Webster University, Saint Louis. She received an M.A. from Saint Louis University in 2001.
  • Arturo Pacheco, B.A. 1965, received a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Education at Stanford in 1976. He teaches at the University of Texas, El Paso, and is Director of the Center for Research and Educational Reform.
  • Timothy Perkins, B.A. 1988, is working for SRI Consulting, a subsidiary of SRI, Menlo Park. He says his education in philosophy shaped his life very positively.
  • Karl T. Pflock, B.A. Philosophy and Political Science 1964, wrote on his web site that he 鈥渟erved in reserve components of the Marine Corps and Air Force (1960-66) and with the Central Intelligence Agency (1966-72). He was also a UFO researcher who co-wrote Roswell : Inconvenient Facts and the Will to Believe (Prometheus Books). Karl died June 5, 2006 in Placitas, New Mexico
  • Randy Siever, B.A., 鈥渟erved twenty years on the Young Life staff and nine years as Pastor of Outreach at Sparks Christian Fellowship near Reno, Nevada鈥He has] an M.A. from Fuller Seminary.鈥� He has been director of Doable Evangelism since 2007.  He is a property manager and realtor for HomeGate Reality, Nevada since 2013.
  • Barbara Stern, B.A. 1990, is a realtor in the Silicon Valley.
  • Alan Stewart, B.A. 1949, is a retired school teacher and building contractor.
  • Davis Sweet, B.A. 1976, is Adjunct Professor. Middlesex Community College since 2005 in Philosophy, Ethics, and Critical Thinking
  • Benjamin L Ten Cate, B.A., is a Computer Systems Maintenance Technician at Cabrillo College.
  • Robert Wasley, 1980 with a second major in History, is a Consultant/instructor in the industrial safety and health field. "I have been able to achieve a much greater sense of perspective on our current period of development and what it means for the future."
  • Alexandria Wilson, B.A. 2012, has been a Grant Writer, College of Engineering San Jose State University since March 2011.
  • Rebecca Wolpinsky, B.A 2001, is Director of Mobile & Social Strategy Firewood Marketing since 2012.
  • David Yang, B.A. 2013, is high school English teacher at CIEE.

Minor in Philosophy Alumni

  • Joseph Zoland, B.A. Psychology, Philosophy Minor, 2011 received an M.A. in Psychology in 2013.  His thesis was: Attention Restoration Theory in Gaming as it Pertains to Subsequent Academic Learning. Thesis Funding: COSS (College of Social Sciences) 91猎奇 Research Foundation Research Grant.
  • Daniel Peterson, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration Management Information Systems, Philosophy Minor 2010, Technical Support Engineer Midtech Software Solutions Inc.

Are You Alumni?

San Jos茅 State University Department of Philosophy alumni: please let us know how you're doing, and if you'd like to be included on this site!