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Philosophy Club builds sense of community and encourages discussion

Auburn’s campus has no shortage of opportunities for students to get involved. Joining a club or organization is a great way to make friends, explore new interests and create a sense of belonging on campus. The Philosophy Club in the College of Liberal Arts builds on these qualities through engaging in thought and encouraging discussion.

The club returns to in-person meetings this semester. After three semesters of meeting on Zoom, club president Jack Trench can’t help but be excited.

“We met on Zoom last year due to the pandemic, and it was all over the place,” said Trench. “We had our first meeting the last week and it was great to see everyone. We have such a tight-knit group, so it’s fantastic to see faces in person.”

Trench’s journey to becoming club president is anything but typical. Initially majoring in architecture, Trench viewed philosophy as a hobby. After leaving the architecture program, Trench found the philosophy department as a place to call home.

“After architecture didn’t work out, I needed a place to go,” Trench said. “I was always interested in philosophy and it was a hobby of mine, so I switched to philosophy.”

After becoming more involved in the club over the course of the last year, Trench found himself accepting the position of president. He was initially directed to the club by faculty members in the philosophy department, who Trench “can’t praise enough.”

“We have wonderful faculty,” said Trench. “They are so open and welcoming. They love sharing thoughts on different subjects with us and they love hearing our thoughts as well.”

Trench also explained how being a part of the club has enhanced his on-campus experience.

“It has helped with the social aspect as well as the classroom side of things,” said Trench. “It helps with getting to know people. I see a lot of familiar faces on campus because of the club. It has also allowed me to get to know my professors a lot more than I normally would.”

The club participates in a number of activities, such as watching and discussing films, sharing thoughts on different theories and holding semi-annual panels, the club’s signature event each semester.

“Panels are our big event each semester,” Trench said. “We have a few students and some of our faculty members discuss a broad topic with lots of viewpoints. Last semester, we held ours near Valentine’s Day, so our panel was about love.”

This semester, Trench looks to add to the club’s roster.

“If you’re interested, please come to our meetings and meet our members and faculty; we always want new faces coming by and interacting,” Trench said. “We are not a rigid club at all. There are no dues or anything like that either. We love hearing new viewpoints. Our members and staff are fantastic, and we would love to hear from new students.”

Trench also welcomes students who are not studying philosophy.

“I came from architecture and learned about this broad community full of different ideas,” said Trench. “The good thing about philosophy is you can’t be wrong. We won’t yell at you or anything like that. We want to hear your thoughts.”

 For more information about the Philosophy Club, visit here.

Tags: Philosophy