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Student Organizations & Groups:
The Maryville College History Society / Phi Alpha Theta is an organization that allows students to explore the past outside of the classroom. We go to historical talks and conferences, examine historical questions in the community and the world, discuss historical films, and even investigate the rich history of the college itself.
While the MCHS is open to all students, the organization is also affiliated with the national history honors society, Phi Alpha Theta. Our chapter (Alpha Psi Mu) is one of the newest in the state and has been very active during its short existence.
A sampling of recent activities include:
- Fall, 2010 - Invited two MC alumni to speak to current students about internship opportunities
- Fall, 2010 - Attended the annual Charles O. Jackson Memorial Lecture at the University of Tennessee. This year's talk was by Brown University historian Elliot Gorn and was entitled "John Dillinger's America."
- Spring, 2010 - Went to the Georgia Regional Phi Alpha Theta conference at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia. Two MC history students presented their own original research at this conference.
- Spring, 2010 - Held a viewing and discussion of the film "Letters from Iwo Jima"
- In 2007-2009, students helped to organize and categorize documents from the college archive, getting hands-on experience in analyzing primary sources.
Quick Fact
The Philosophy major is one of the newest on campus, created in Fall, 2007. The religion and history majors, by contrast, are some of the oldest, dating back to the earliest years of the college.
Humanities Division Students
Student Profile
Name: Branden Hunt
Hometown: Maryville, TN
Major: Philosophy
Q: Why philosophy?
I like looking at how people think and what it is they value. I wanted to study the way people make sense of their world in a way that I had little exposure too. I think philosophy is the way I want to go about doing that. In philosophy, you can see how the universal search for truth has and is unfolded from many different angles—from Hegel’s phenomenology through Kierkegaard’s A Sickness unto Death and Fear & Trembling along with Kant’s three Critiques.
Q: What philosopher and/or school of thought has had the most profound impact on you so far?
I guess I would have to say it’s a tossup between [Immanuel] Kant and [Søren] Kierkegaard and their contrasting understandings of religious faith.
Q: What’s the best thing about being a philosophy major at Maryville College?
I really like the small classrooms and it’s great that you’re actually able to have a discussion instead of being in lecture for 50 minutes. I can’t really imagine being a philosophy major with sixty students in one room; I couldn’t fathom having a good discussion in that kind of class dynamic.
Q: What's one thing you wish someone had told you before you came to Maryville?
You need to understand that it’s a serious time commitment and that it sometimes feel like you never have enough time. At some point, you just have to put the axe to the grindstone and make the most of the time you’ve got; you have to learn how to organize your days.
Q: Favorite place on campus?
I have two: Downstairs in Thaw library in the stacks and the Bartlett sitting room, depending on what time of the year it is.
Q: Favorite book / movie / artistic work?
I’m definitely going to go with The Hobbit for my favorite book. As far as movies, I like the somewhat recent Les Miserables with Liam Neeson.
Q: What have your favorite courses been?
I really enjoyed my Intro to Philosophy course (Philosophy 150). It affirmed my choice in majors and that MC was a good decision.
Q: What's your favorite part of campus life here?
Actually, I’m a commuter and between work and family, I don’t have much time on campus.
Q: So what’s life like as a commuter student at MC?
There’s excellent parking at MC and there are great places to eat around here, either on campus or within a very short walk for those days when you forget to pack your lunch.
Q: What are your hobbies?
Right now, my wife and I really enjoy farming and gardening. We have 25 chickens at home and we’re about to get a couple goats.
Student Profile
Emily Brewer ('10) and a friend in Guatemala.
Name: Emily Brewer
Major: Religion
During Emily Brewer's years at MC, she interned with the Presbyterian Church USA Young Adult Volunteer program in Guatemala.
Brewer explains, "My responsibilities mostly were working with the "Pastoral del la Mujer" which works with women, helping to build self-esteem. La Fraternidad also does organic agriculture training, health and nutrition training, as well as some other community-building and sustaining ministries."