Commencement 2007 - Villanova University

Philosophy Graduate Students Organize Scholarly ConferenceBY ANTHONY MAALOUF ’08 G.S.Graduate students and scholars fromacross the United States and Canadaattended Villanova University’s 12thannual Graduate Student in PhilosophyConference on March 31. Centered onthe theme of “Philosophy and Sexuality,”the conference was sponsored by Villanova’sPhilosophy Graduate StudentUnion and co-sponsored by the departmentof philosophy.Two Villanova doctoral students, JessicaElkayam and Geoffrey Karabin, led the studentteam that organized the conference.Elkayam is studying ancient Greek philosophy,Heidegger, French phenomenologyand comparative literature. Karabin focuseson modern philosophy, philosophy of religionand Christian Existentialism.Following a continental breakfast in theSt. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts,students and faculty headed toBartley Hall for the first of theday’s three panels. Graduatestudents presented their papers,with each one followed by aresponse from a Villanovagraduate student.In the first panel, MatthewWalker of Yale University presented“Idolatrous Eros: Onthe Role of Apollodorus in theSymposium,” with a response byAdrienne St. Clair. The secondpaper was “Hos Eromenon:Aristotle at the Limits of Metaphysics,” byErick Jimenez of The New School, withJames Eric Butler responding.After a luncheon, at the second panelMitchell Verter of York University presented“Levinas, Perverter,” with theresponse from Alexander Kratchman.Taine Duncan of Duquesne Universitypresented “Testimony to the Inadequacyof Discursive Regimes: The Hysteric asCreative Rupture in Foucauldian History,”with a response by Neil Brophy.The third panel’s sole paper was“Matrices of Desire, Subjects of Love”by Patrick Gamez of the University ofAlberta. Yong Michael Kim responded.In his keynote speech, Dr. AlphonsoLingis, a Penn State professor emeritusof philosophy, closed the conference inprovocative and dramatic style. In a darkenedroom, he gave his presentation usingslides and background music. He earned adoctorate in philosophy at the CatholicUniversity of Louvain in Belgium. His mostrecent publications are First Person Singular(2006), Body Transformations (2005) andTrust (2004).A closing reception followed his address.For more information, visit philosophy.villanova.edu.At Candidates’ Day, Parents and Accepted StudentsLearn About Campus Life at VillanovaBY ANTHONY MAALOUF ’08 G.S.The Office of University Admission,along with student members of theVillanova Ambassadors and the Blue KeySociety, on April 14 at Candidates’ Daywelcomed students who have been acceptedfor the Class of 2011. At this annual weekendevent, accepted students and their familiesbecome more familiar with VillanovaUniversity’s academic programs, campusactivities and community. There were alsoevents for those who arrived on Friday.The busy Saturday morning schedulebegan with a breakfast and entertainmentfrom the talented Villanovans of MusicActivities. Dr. Teresa “Terry” Nance,assistant vice president for MulticulturalAffairs, opened the program, and the Rev.Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., ’75 A&S,University president, gave an address.Michael M. Gaynor ’88 G.S., director ofUniversity Admission, also greeted thecandidates and their families.Each college hosted a luncheon andpresentation for its prospective studentsand their parents. At these open houseevents, hosted by academic departments,candidates interacted with faculty fromtheir program of choice.Other sessions focused on Villanova’sLearning Communities, Campus Ministry,Financial Assistance, International Studies,the Secondary Education TeacherCertification Program and the healthprofessions. At a seminar for “first-timers,”current students and their parents talkedwith candidates and their parents aboutcollege life at Villanova. Some of the parentswere Villanovans themselves. Manyshowed their school spirit by wearingwhite-and-blue stickers that read, “I wenthere and so do my kids.”Candidates’ Day concluded with anevening Mass at the St. Thomas of VillanovaChurch.Villanova’s fearless mascot, the Wildcat, wason hand April 14 to help accepted studentsand their parents get to know Villanova better.Candidates and their parents heard first-handabout the University community from currentstudents and their parents.JOHN WELSH (BOTH)Summer 2007 57