I went back to Davidson this afternoon to participate in the Alumni Panel for the Philosophy Department's Major Decisions Series panel presentation, put on by the Office of Career Services. There were three alumni on the panel: me; Sissy Holloman, class of 1981, Special Counsel, Parker, Poe, & Adams; and Brad Smith, class of 2007, Assistant Football Coach, Davidson College. I'm assuming that I was invited as an object lesson in how not to use your major in your career path.
There were four department members there, none of whom I knew. Dr. Stell is still at Davidson. Dr. Maydole is retired but still lives locally and, I got the impression, visits from time to time. There were about a dozen students there, most of whom were pretty quiet, but four of them did pipe up. I would never have known what to say at such an event either, back in the day.
The panel lasted just shy of an hour and I quite enjoyed it. Ms. Holloman was able to speak to the usefulness of philosophical training for legal reasoning and argumentation. Mr. Smith spoke of the use of those same skills in the day-to-day analysis of the news, current events, et al.. I talked about why I chose my major in the first place and about how training in philosophy provides those benefits traditionally ascribed to a liberal arts education in, perhaps, their purest form. I also recommended a book by Mortimer J. Adler, The Conditions of Philosophy, which was in the library when we were there. I think I came off as slightly less pompous than usual. If any of you are invited to participate in this, or a similar program, I recommend doing so. I felt the time was well-spent.
Also well-spent was the money I, and others, have sent over the years. I hadn't been on the campus in 10 years, but it's beautiful. Natural beauty was in evidence too. I enjoyed the drive down through the rolling hills of the western Piedmont. I-40 and I-77 in that part of the state must be quite spectacular in May.
The town of Davidson is developed more than I ever imagined possible. I confess I'm not comfortable with that. I think the education Davidson provided profited from a more cloistered atmosphere. Tempus fugit, I suppose.
All in all, it was a good day. I trust this note finds you all hale and well,
Shane.
