The Fordham Philosophers’ Society, commonly known on campus as “PhilSoc,” began as a typical, yet uneventful undergraduate philosophy club. The association, originally founded in 2014, consisted of roundtable and book club-esque discussions about various philosophers. The club generally pulled in, at most, a dozen undergraduates to a small classroom for weekly meetings with like-minded individuals who had a pre-existing passion for philosophy. Luckily for Fordham students, the core curriculum requires philosophy courses to be taken, which in turn helps the club grow because students are familiar with rudimentary concepts learned from their classes. However, COVID would prove to be a change for all of us, including PhilSoc.
The “Post-Covid” reintegration period at Fordham, coupled with changes in club leadership and direction, led to a rapid increase in the club’s membership and interest on campus in the last two years. Headed by Mac McCormick, the Fordham Philosophers’ Society excised previous boundaries that left newcomers wary of philosophy’s complicated vocabulary. Presentations became more accessible without losing their fervor or direction. Memes, humor, and relatable language were also incorporated more heavily into the club to create a comfortable environment. Shy students in a philosophy classroom often find it difficult to participate in discourse, but through PhilSoc’s more relaxed approach to the discipline, many members have been able to find a community where they can talk candidly about philosophical ideas with new friends. Over the past two years, the organization began to grow and truly blossom. Club membership grew to around 80-100 members per meeting, with the society having to move from our small classroom to a large lecture hall.
Our weekly Friday meetings haven’t veered from their original path all too much, with PhilSoc generally maintaining its undergraduate student-led appeal. At each meeting, a student volunteers in advance to present on a philosophical topic meaningful to them, traditionally beyond what is covered in the undergraduate curriculum. Topics range from standard discussions of classical and contemporary philosophers to related current events such as artificial intelligence ethics, ecology, and xenofeminism. This unique format grants students the freedom not only to select the content they wish to discuss but also to determine the manner of its presentation. The presentations, therefore, range between vividly eccentric to stone-cold serious, with some more lecture-based and others focused on generating group discussions and lively debate.
Beyond the large lecture hall’s weekly Friday meetings, PhilSoc has many outlets for students to engage in more thorough discussions and assist in project development and creation. Philsoc holds a weekly reading club more akin to a graduate reading group, in which the reading club participants are the primary drivers of what is read and discussed during meetings. Students delve into texts from Baudrillard to Shestov, learning about their ideas, the context surrounding them, and how their thoughts can be applied to our lives.
An exciting development of our past Spring semester was our club’s first overnight retreat. The organization received funding from Fordham University to go on a retreat to our university’s upstate New York property to delve deeper into the philosophical discipline. Headed by retreat leader and director of operations Jackson Saunders, student retreat leaders developed presentations and activities that fostered a greater understanding of mysticism, the theme of the retreat. We explored authors such as Bataille and Lacan and their rationality in confronting the unknown. The weekend was spent attending presentations led by undergraduate and graduate students and engaging in activities designed to stimulate intellectual growth and foster a personal connection to the material and each other. Participants engaged in group reflections, meditation, and an art workshop. Not only does PhilSoc intend on making this event annual, but last year’s retreat also inspired other student organizations to host similar programs.
On the topic of student-led creation, last semester, the Fordham Philosophers’ Society also released the first annual undergraduate philosophy publication of Fordham University, Ontophage. Combining the words ontology and the suffix “phage,” Ontophage embodies a self-replicating being. The publication, led by coordinator Nicole St. Jacques, is entirely written, edited, and designed by students, culminating in an anthology of original, creative, and informative works, all submitted by people from our club and the broader Fordham philosophy department.
Ontophage is available to read on the publication tab of our club’s website.
“PhilSoc” has a deep commitment to encouraging students of diverse outlooks and backgrounds to engage with philosophy enticingly and inclusively. Students are encouraged to share and indulge in their own and each others’ unique experiences without fear of judgment or condescending and patronizing backlash. Our future goals include reinventing the narrative behind who can and cannot access philosophical dialogues—we know that our undergraduate culture requires these ideas more than ever. The PhilSoc community believes that by putting philosophy and mutual care at the forefront, we can uplift one another. In this upcoming semester, we are planning to share our commitment to accessible philosophical discussion with local high schools across the Bronx. Through our Philosophy Student Youth Outreach Program, we hope to cultivate the same curiosity, and a love of philosophy that our club continues to instill in the Fordham community.
Learning philosophy is extremely important to understand the world around us and ourselves. It is an avenue of growth and introspection. PhilSoc has used philosophy to transform people’s subjectivity by shining a light on ideas and issues relevant to our generation. The growth of PhilSoc has additionally sparked a growth in philosophy as an academic discipline at Fordham.
Our club would not have grown as much as it has in the past year without the support of our incredible club advisor, Dr. Crina Gschwandtner, and our retreat leaders from the Philosophy Department Graduate Studies, Christian Halstead and Tore Levander.
Catherine Both
Cat Both is the Fordham Philosophers’ Society President and is majoring in English.
William Johnston
William Johnston is the Fordham Philosophers’ Society’s Vice-President. He is a fourth year student at Fordham University currently majoring in Philosophy and Environmental Studies.
Jackson Saunders
Jackson Saunders is the Fordham Philosopher’ Society’s Executive Director. He is majoring in Physics and Philosophy.
Nicole St. Jacques
Nicole St. Jacques is the Fordham Philosophers’ Society’s Publications Co-Coordinator. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biological Sciences and Bioethics.
Zein Mera
Zein Mera is the Treasurer of the Fordham Philosopher’s Society. He is majoring in Computer Science, minoring in Philosophy, and will graduate in 2026.
Andrew Lind
Andrew Lind is the Fordham Philosophers’ Society’s Publications Co-Coordinator. They are majoring in philosophy and graduating in 2026.
Drew McDonald
Andrew “Drew” McDonald is the Fordham Philosophers’ Society’s Public Relations Officer. They are majoring in American Studies and Political Science and graduating in 2026.
K McFadden
K McFadden is Fordham Philosophers’ Society’s Event co-Coorinator and a junior majoring in Communications and Anthropology.
Caitlin Finch
Catherine Both is the Event Coordinator of the Fordham Philosophers' Society, the Undergraduate Philosophy Club at Fordham University.
