UMass Boston

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Alumni Info & Careers

 Announcements

Welcome, Philosophy alumni! 

Find links on the Beyond the Classroom and Events pages for upcoming philosophy talks, Philosophy Club events, as well as links to other campus-based events.  Alumni are naturally invited to attend any and all of these events, but are also always welcome in the department in general. 

We encourage alumni to keep in touch with us and let us know what you are doing. Send your news and latest contact information to cla@umb.edu and/or join UMass Boston Philosophy and the Philosophy Club on Facebook, and please do come to Alum Nights (see below).

Alum Nights

These nights are a new initiative of the Philosophy Department. We gather to see old friends, hear a presentation by a faculty member on an issue of general interest related to their research, and then discuss the presentation. A light dinner is provided.  If you are a recent or long time alum of the department please email Lawrence.Blum@umb.edu for more information. 

Careers

A major in philosophy provides sound training for those who anticipate graduate work in the field or wish to acquire a general and comprehensive knowledge of the basic historical and systematic themes in philosophy. Our students go in many different directions after graduation, including law school, medical school, careers in government, and in business. For what some of our alums are doing now see below. If you are one of our alums and would like to be listed please do email maria.brincker@umb.edu with any news. 

  • Chanelle Brown (2012), Phillip W. Johnston Associates
  • Marcie Bilodeau (2011) JD candidate, Suffolk Law School
  • Paul Moore (2010) Philosophy and Computer Science major, Software engineer.
  • Matthew Sucharski (2010) at Tufts MA program in Phil
  • Jennifer E Burger (2009) library science graduate studies at McGill
  • Sarah Fox (2009), PPP major, works at The Fletcher School/Tufts
  • Thomas Noah (2009), PhD candidate in philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
  • Jesse Dinneen (2009) in Philosophy MA program at U. London
  • Ian Witherby (2009) membership sales assistant at Boston Museum of Science
  • Michaela McSweeney (2008), PhD candidate in Philosophy, Princeton
  • Stephen Lavery (2008); works at Salem Five Bank
  • Alex Silverman (2006), PhD candidate in philosophy, Yale University
  • Michael Durikas (2006); London School of Economics, MSc in International Relations, 2010; NGO management
  • Michaela McSweeney (2005) Assistant Professor of Philosophy at BU (TT, PhD Princeton) 
  • Ilhan Zeybekoglu (2005) MA from Tufts, now working as a wine and cheese expert
  • Susan Smith (2004), JD, New England School of Law (2007)
  • Mike Brady (2004) MA from BC, PhD from UIC
  • Elyssa Moseley (2002) Simmons, MSW (2005); program director at Jewish Child Care Association, NYC
  • James Dow (2002) Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Interdisciplinary Study of the Mind, Hendrix College
  • Benjamin Day (2002) Rhodes Scholar, executive director at Mass-Care
  • Lauren Redmond (2000) JD from Northeastern. Private practice, mostly criminal defense but also employment, discrimination.
  • Brian Trachtenberg (1998) University of Chicago Law School, 2002. Private practice in Houston, TX.
  • Chico Colvard (1997) BC Law school, Award winning documentary filmmaker and adjunct professor at UMass Boston.
  • Victor Day (late-‘90s) Has law degree from Vanderbilt. Practiced law briefly and is currently a manager at Whole Foods in Boston.
  • Ervan Fuller (1997) 20-year career at Boston Housing Authority, before an accident forced him out of work. He then attended Massachusetts Law School. He died in 2009 and was awarded his JD posthumously. Ervan was also a minister at the Deliverance Faith Tabernacle and was active in community affairs at Columbia Point (now called Harbor Point).
  • Patrick Colonna (1995) MFA Emerson, associate director of College Counseling, The Perkiomen School, Pennsburg, PA
  • Anthony Barrows (1995) project manager, Judge Baker Children’s Center. (Provides training, consultation, and technical assistance at all levels of the 6 New England public child welfare agencies).
  • Virginia Suddath (mid-90s) PhD in comparative philosophy (Asian & Western) from University of Hawai’i at Manoa in 2005, on role of critique in Confucian tradition. Works for East-West Center, a research center at the University of Hawai’i.
  • Myong Joun (1993). Civil rights lawyer with own firm, Joun Law Office, in Boston. Active in community legal issues. Lectures frequently on topics related to criminal justice, civil rights, and civil liberties.
  • Nigeria Johnson (1993) Program assistance for ABCD (Boston’s antipoverty agency) Headstart & Child Care Services. Masters in public administration from Suffolk University.
  • Sean Cole (early 90’s) Private detective in Massachusetts
  • Chheub Heng [Saveth Noun] (early 90s). Manager of the Massachusetts Asian & Pacific Islanders for Health (MAPIFH), a nonprofit that promotes health, HIV, and sexuality awareness, and access to care through education, advocacy, and technical assistance.
  • Jeannette Filippone (1990) MA in philosophy from University of California at San Diego, JD from University of San Diego. Corporate associate in San Diego law firm.
  • Stephen Sherblom (late ‘80’s) Associate Professor, School of Education, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO. Works in the area of philosophy and psychology in relation to moral education, care ethics, and conceptions of the moral self.
  • Michael Mendelson (1982) Associate Professor of Philosophy, Lehigh University. PhD, University of California at San Diego. Specializes in medieval and early modern philosophy.
  • JoAnne Leppanen (1980) Executive director of Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition. Was a lawyer for the Massachusetts Medical Society for many years.
  • Paul Hughes (1980) Professor of Philosophy, University of Michigan, Dearborn. PhD from University of Illinois, Chicago. Specializes in ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of law.
  • Nancy Newman (1980) Teaches cooking. Has run a catering company.
  • Richard Hilly (1978) Pipe fitter, heating/ventilation at Harvard, active in his union and the Unitarian-Universalist church.
  • Bethany Balford (late 70s) Forensic social worker and program director at eight court clinics on North Shore and Merrimack Valley—liaison between judicial and mental health systems. Heads committee in Congregational Church on homelessness and hunger, and on equal exchange.
  • Irene Crofton (1973) MD. Internist, geriatric specialist, affiliated with 11 hospitals in Boston area, including Mass General. Previously worked in AIDS area.