Founding partner at Ruffner Schoenbaum PLLC in Austin, Texas

▸ BA philosophy and English, University of Mississippi
▸ JD law (with Honors), University of Texas School of Law

“Studying philosophy made me a disciplined thinker. I think of my job as identifying legal solutions for my clients’ business problems. Breaking down a specific problem into its constituent parts, identifying where the thorns are likely to arise, and planning for them. Because of my background in philosophy, particularly with professors who required you to show your work at each step through the progression of developing an argument for a position, I’m good at this.

Additionally, I still – very uncynically – believe that the law strives to be fair. What’s fair is of course a complicated issue, but working to apply fairness in the law so very often gets you to the right place. Moreover, if it’s a close call, demonstrating what fairness requires can make the difference in persuading the judge or jury to adopt your position for your client.”

Senior Project Manager at Razor IT Solutions

▸ BA philosophy and psychology, University of Mississippi

“The decision to pursue a philosophy degree from the University of Mississippi was easy. Previously, I had completed my first undergraduate degree in psychology. The glass had not been filled. I took my first philosophy class and was immediately hooked. I began to realize that philosophy is not only incredibly interesting in all of its forms, it serves as a universal foundation for wading through life.

The skills I gained from all of the amazing professors in the Philosophy department have served me in both my everyday life and my career. They taught me to solve complex problems with efficiency and logic. As a project manager for a technology firm, I am responsible for organizing website, social media, digital advertising, and client relationship management (CRM) projects. Many of my CRM projects require intense sessions of data manipulation and breakdowns. The manipulation and breakdown of data often requires use of logic functions to complete – something I would not have expected to use in my career almost a decade later.

Lastly, my experience in the University of Mississippi’s Philosophy program and with its professors encouraged me to continue my education in philosophy. I find myself constantly discovering new philosophers and new ideals to evaluate and study.”

Attorney at Butler Snow LLP

▸ BA philosophy, University of Mississippi
▸ JD law, University of Mississippi

“I became interested in a degree in philosophy because I enjoyed playing logical games and reading the works of Plato, Socrates and other philosophers in college.  Despite being viewed by some as boring, I found philosophical studies challenging and rewarding.   I decided to attend law school after obtaining my degree and I learned that most law schools were teaching using a method called the Socratic method.  My law school used the Socratic method of teaching and my degree in philosophy was very useful in helping me succeed in law school.  I am a trial lawyer and I have used many of the skills that I obtained from my philosophy training to assist me in my successful handling of cases inside and outside of the courtroom.  My philosophy degree made a real difference in my degree of success as a lawyer.”

Cofounder & Chief Customer Officer of Qualytics

▸ BA English and philosophy, University of Mississippi
▸ MA philosophy, University of Mississippi

“As an owner of a company, I wear a lot of different hats… sales, marketing, leadership, product development. Having the perfect solution in any of those areas is meaningless without the ability to frame the conversation around it. More than anything… Philosophy sharpened my communication skills, not merely to clarify, but to convince.”

Founding Partner, Orion Planning Group, a national city planning consulting firm

▸ FAICP, Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners
▸ BA philosophy, University of Mississippi
▸ MURP city and regional planning, University of Mississippi

“My philosophy education has provided an enduring foundation for my entire professional life, and in ways that I could have scarcely imagined when I started the course of study over 35 years ago. The study of the great philosophical works, systems of thought and philosophy’s various branches broadened my perspectives and thinking far beyond any narrow parochial field or interest, so as to allow me to approach both my work and life in ways that drive towards deeper meaning, understanding and awareness.

In my professional work of city planning and building human communities, philosophical discipline has served me very well in developing the skills of analyzing, understanding and diagnosing the fundamental dynamics and issues that communities universally face. How shall resources (land, investment, natural resources, etc.) best be allocated? Who shall participate in the decisions related thereto? For whose benefit shall the decisions be made? How shall suffering be mitigated by community effort? To what degree is it even possible? These are just of few questions that must be considered at an abstract level and answered with practical solutions applied in community.

Aristotle himself was keenly aware of the relationship of such questions of virtue and the physical community setting in which they are to be considered. “The City,” he said in Politics (and I paraphrase), “should be built with eye to four considerations: health, beauty, convenience, and defense. The most important of these is health”. He then went on to set forth his philosophy of the city. Countless other philosophers have developed their own conceptions of the ideal human community and its systems, both sociological and functional.

If I have been able to contribute anything to the betterment of human communities over the years as a professional city planner, I cannot imagine having been able to do so as effectively in the absence of the underpinnings of a philosophical education. The study of philosophy is of intrinsic worth. It should be pursued for its own sake. Yet as a framework for additional professional study and practice, it is exceptional preparation. I am thankful for it and indebted to the professors who have dedicated their lives to teaching its various expressions. Specifically, Dr. Shepard, Dr. Lawhead and Dr. Harrington from my years at Ole Miss come to mind.

I recall an assignment from Dr. Shepard long ago. It involved reading Religion in the Secular City by Harvey Cox. In this exceptional analysis of the nexus of philosophical and, particularly, theological thought and cities, I recall distinctly the following line. Cox stated “It is no longer a matter for question if planning will be done. The question is, by whom and to what ends.” This is an ongoing and enduring question. To answer effectively requires not just technical skill, but a philosophy of history, a philosophy of justice, of economics, political philosophy and more. I believe there is no better preparation for making a contribution to human thriving in the context of such questions than a philosophical education. I am certainly grateful for mine and indebted to its advocates.”

Privacy & Cybersecurity Attorney in the San Francisco Bay area

▸ BA mathematics and philosophy, University of Mississippi
▸ JD law, Stanford Law School

“Choosing to study philosophy was one of the most important decisions I ever made. After spending four years immersing myself in logic, metaphysics, and ethics and being guided by the dedicated and insightful UM faculty, I feel accomplished to say I scratched the surface of this discipline—a body of knowledge and inquiry that is as broad as it is deep. Reading the work of Plato, Kant, Dworkin, and Rawls, I found that studying philosophy is a great way to develop academic humility, but it is also a wonderful way to learn to think. My reasoning abilities and worldview have been dramatically altered by my studies, in ways that I think have made me a more discerning, inquisitive, and engaged human being. I am better able to question and evaluate the practices and principles I see at play around me, and I feel confident in embarking on a career in law knowing that I can utilize the practical reasoning skills that I learned in the philosophy classroom, while also placing my life and choices in a broader philosophical context.”