Southern Connecticut State University Philosophy Department

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Next week, please join us on Thursday afternoon at 3:15pm onward in EN D227 (The Philosophy seminar room) for the first meeting of the Philosophy Club!

We will be joined by Assistant Chairperson and Editor of the SCSU Metaphilosophy Journal, Dr. Armen Marsoobian.

Dr. Marsoobian will be hosting a talk entitled "A Philosopher Overseas: Engaging Human Rights in a Time of Crisis." where he will discuss his on-going activities in Armenia under the U.S Fulbright Scholar Program.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided for in-person attendees, and the meeting will also be available to attend on zoom (link to come).

Additionally, positions on the club's e-board are open and we highly encourage all interested students to attend!

All are welcome! We hope to see you there!

Join us tomorrow for pizza and fun in EN C113 From 12:15 onwards!

Congratulations to Southern Connecticut State University's CSU Professor David Pettigrew has been awarded the title of “Honorary Citizen of the City of Sarajevo”, alongside US Congressmen Michael Ray (Mike) Turner and Matt Joseph, US Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen by the Sarajevo City Council.

Read all about it here!

Sarajevo city council grants “Honorary Citizen” titles to US lawmakers and professor The Sarajevo City Council, at its session today, adopted a decision to award the title of “Honorary Citizen of the City of Sarajevo” to US Congressmen Michael R

Last Wednesday Southern Connecticut State University hosted the commemoration of the first official Varian Fry Day in Connecticut.

CSU Professor and Philosophy department chair, David Pettigrew recognized the importance of honoring Fry's work during World War II in rescuing over 2000 Jewish artists and intellectuals from Vichey, France, though as noted during Dr. Pettigrew's presentation, many people have no knowledge of Fry's name, or his courageous work.

Connecticut State Representatives who aided in the bill's passing, Christopher Rosario and Matt Blumenthal, alongside SCSU Interim President Sandra Bulmer, Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus of Congregation Or Shalom, Co-Director of the SCSU Judaic Studies program, Lorrie Gardella, and Director of the HERO Center, Jeri Butlien all provided commemorative remarks about the significance of Fry's legacy.

SCSU Students Maryam Flores and Keri Warner read from Fry's letters to give voice to Fry's own thoughts and experiences, while a special video message from Varian Fry's son, James, further spoke to his family's insight into his personal life.

Thank you to all who participated in the first annual Varian Fry Day and to those who assisted in preparing the event.

Today - Varian Fry Day: A Commemoration at Southern Connecticut State University
October 15, 2025

1:00 - 2:00pm
Engleman Hall B121 from 1:00 - 2:00pm
Reception in Engleman D 227 from 2:10 – 2:30pm

Public Act No. 25-59 designating October 15 as Varian Fry Day in Connecticut was approved by the Connecticut General Assembly in May 2025 and signed by Governor Ned Lamont on June 10, 2025. This program at SCSU will be the first official observance of Varian Fry Day in Connecticut.

Varian Fry Day remembers and honors Connecticut resident Varian Fry’s heroic deeds in Marseille, 1940-1941, where he rescued more than 2,000 refugees, who were predominantly Jewish, from the N***s. As a result of his noble efforts, Fry was the first American to be recognized in 1994 as “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, recognition awarded non-Jews who risked their lives to rescue Jews during the Holocaust.

Dr. David Pettigrew, CSU Professor and chair of the Philosophy Department, led a statewide effort to ensure the legacy of Varian Fry is never forgotten.

Join us next Tuesday, October 7th as we welcome guest speaker, Alexis Elder, Ph.D at the Philosophy Club!

Alexis will be discussing her new book "The Ethics of Digital Ghosts: Confucian, Mohist, and Zhuangist perspectives on AI and Death".

Alexis is a 2005 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, with a PhD in Philosophy from UConn and is currently the department chair of Philosophy at University of Minnesota Duluth

The meeting is hybrid, on-ground in EN D227 at 1:50pm - 3:05pm, or on zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89855777113

Good Afternoon Philosophers!

Our first meeting of the Philosophy Club will be next Tuesday, September 16th from 1:50 - 3:05pm in the Philosophy Seminar Room (EN D227).

We will be providing Pizza while we discuss the question "Why Remember?" with CSU Professor David Pettigrew.

For those who cannot attend in person, you can join via zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83004233258

We hope to see you there!

https://news.southernct.edu/2025/08/14/philosophy-professor-awarded-prestigious-fulbright-scholar-award-to-armenia/

Philosophy Professor Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award to Armenia - News at Southern Armen Marsoobian, professor of philosophy, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar Award for his upcoming work in Armenia from September 2025 to December 2026. During this time, he will teach, conduct research, organize workshops and symposia, give guest lectures, and curate a major exhibition at the H...

Visit the Philosophy Club at the Student Involvement Fair today! We're handing out swag, candy, asking you philosophical questions, and hoping you'll join us for a fun-filled Fall semester!

Thanks to the Southern Connecticut State University office of Student Involvement and Leadership for organizing this event!