Columbia Civic Digest

Tynéa Henry, RTA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: August 3, 2023

Introduce yourself!

My name is Tynéa Henry and I am from Eddystone, Pennsylvania. I am a rising junior at Columbia University majoring in American Studies and concentrating in African-American and African Diaspora studies.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I was drawn to F&C mainly for two reasons. Firstly, I found the overall mission of the program inspiring because it seemed to try to ameliorate some of the inequalities inherent in the higher education system through a combination of mentorship and academic exploration. Secondly, being a low-income student myself, I thought this program was precisely something I would have loved to be involved in when I was in high school.

What is your favorite part of the program?

My favorite part of the program is discussion during reading hours. I love being able to hear how everyone is thinking through the texts and what kinds of connections they make.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

My favorite reading in the program is “A Talk to Teachers” by James Baldwin. For a very long time, James Baldwin has been one of my favorite authors, and in this piece Baldwin is able to very eloquently explain the experience of students of color and the need to approach education with inclusivity and compassion in mind.

What is one piece of advice you would like to give F&C students?

One piece of advice I would give to F&C students is to never allow spaces like Columbia make you doubt your worth or make you feel embarrassed of who you are. It’s really easy to become intimidated by the grandeur and the history of institutions of higher education, and I know when I was a freshman I would change how I spoke and even be guarded about certain aspects of my culture when I was in class. Ultimately what helped me get out of this mindset was finding community within these walls and realizing that I got here because of who I am and the hard work I put in.

What is one fun fact about you?

One fun fact about me is that I practically grew up playing Playstation and Playstation II games, so I frequently go to classic video game stores. Most recently I’ve managed to play Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, 10, and 10-2 thanks to these shops.

Tim Vanable, RTA, Columbia College ‘24

Date Interviewed: July 26, 2023

Introduce yourself!

I am Tim. I am a rising senior at Columbia College and I'm majoring in American Studies. I'm from Syracuse, New York.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I would say the opportunity to pass on a love for the books that I discovered in my Contemporary Civilizations class. If you guys leave with just a basic interest in philosophy, I think we will have succeeded, even if many of the intricacies of the arguments you will probably forget. I think the opportunity to be a part of that really excited me and I've found that while I've been here.

What is your favorite part of the program?

Probably the late night sessions—not too late, Dr. Lee!—with the boys in my suite when the day is wrapped up, but we're still talking about philosophy somehow and they still have the energy for it. Everybody's more uninhibited than they are in our day-to-day schedules, and everybody's personalities are on full display. I think it's in those times that I really get to know everybody the best and we all just enjoy each other.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

I'm going to cheat and select two texts, commonly compared to each other, and that is Pericles’ funeral oration in the History of the Peloponnesian War and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Both are addresses made to a people in the midst of a serious war, in one case, war between Athens and Sparta and the other a civil war. I think they both achieve two things. One, they inspire families of the dead and their countrymen to go on fighting for the cause, for which so many thousands died. Second, they outline the political stakes of the battle, or of their respective battles. Both are really works of political theory, defining what it means to be a good citizen and to live in a democracy. Lincoln, for example, ends with the phrase “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” which came to be a touchstone for Americans for centuries to come and became a succinct definition of what our political system is at its best.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

The choice you will be facing with colleges is in a sense everything, but it's also nothing. What I mean by that is that, you know, according to the butterfly effect, you arrive at college and you meet certain people who lead you down certain paths and you make certain professional connections and not others, [and you make] certain friends at one school that you wouldn't get another. On the other hand, I think people's experience of college is often as much a function of their own personality and temperament as it is the specifics of the school they go to. So there are people who bounce from institution to institution transferring, you know, three colleges before they graduate, and they go on and on about how this college was insufficient this way and this college and another way, but really, it's what they bring to the table, I think that makes or breaks their experience. With that in mind, I think it takes some of the pressure off of the decision because much of what will be good about your college life will be your own virtues, and much of what's difficult about college will be your own vices, and those are things that you'll be living with your entire life.

What is one fun fact about you?

Over the last year or so I've taught myself German because I fell in love with the work of Immanuel Kant and wanted to get closer to his ideas. I was studying abroad in England and I did everything I could to connect with German culture. I had no formal training but I was just listening to hours and hours and hours of German TV and podcasts and movies and studying grammar textbooks on my own. I recently passed the advanced German proficiency test downtown at the Goethe Institute and now I'm eligible to apply for post-graduation opportunities in Germany. 

Phoebe Wagoner, ATA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: 07/26/2023

Introduce yourself!

Hi, my name is Phoebe. My major is American Studies, and I'm from Kentucky.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I was drawn to F&C because I love teaching and because all of the students are either first generation or low income. At Columbia, it's very rare to be in a classroom with only other low income students, and experiencing that type of classroom at F&C has been pretty incredible.

What is your favorite part of the program?

Definitely the students that I work with (and I'm not just saying that because one of them is interviewing me). I'm saying that because I genuinely love the classroom that we have. Everyone's so engaged in discussions. I feel like we have a very dynamic and unique set of characters who all have interesting takes on the texts, which has been fun.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

That is hard. If I had to choose one, I might choose “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass because it's such a powerful document, and Douglass's writing style is so fiery and impassioned. I like reading things that are emotional because sometimes philosophy is thought of as disengaged, unemotional, and analytical. This reading is a good reminder that what we talk about in class is actually high stakes and you can get personally invested, passionate, and fiery about it. It's not just arbitrary thought experiments that don't mean anything.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

It can be really hard navigating the world as a first generation or low income student, especially if you're planning on going on to college. Sometimes the system isn't going to be set up in your favor, but even if it's difficult and frustrating, know that you have the capabilities of not just navigating systems in academia, but changing them and raising awareness about them. Be sure to advocate for yourselves and seek out resources or help if you need to. And a reminder that I and the F&C staff will always be there to help, even after you finish the program!

What is one fun fact about you?

I enjoy American folk music and I raised goats as a child on my family's farm. They're great pets-- really smart and really funny.

Oscar Luckett, ATA, Columbia College ‘25 (Left)

Denizcan Ozdemir, ATA, Columbia College ‘25 (Right)

Date Interviewed: 07/26/2023

Introduce yourself!

Oscar: Hi, my name is Oscar. I'm a junior at Columbia, and I'm one of the ATAs for F&C this summer.

DJ: My name is DJ. I am also a junior at Columbia. I'm studying Political Science and Human Rights, and I am also an ATA at F&C.

What drew you to work at F&C?

Oscar: I wanted to work at F&C to try out teaching, which is something I've always wanted to do, and because I think there's a lot of richness to these ancient texts that can be really valuable if taught in the right way. I wanted to have a small part in making that happen.

DJ: I also wanted the teaching experience and to do the same things that Oscar was talking about. But I think a lot of it is because I wish I had this program when I was in high school. And I wish I was able to benefit from this program, not just in terms of college access, but also in terms of learning about these pivotal ideas to Western civilization, as well as the support and the community.

What is your favorite part of the program?

DJ: I love ATA tutorials because I think the kids come into it expecting to hear about or learn about one thing, but I love when I can make it into something completely out of the box and unexpected that teaches them something new about themselves and about the world.

Oscar: My favorite part is also the ATA tutorial because I think it gives us a more informal way to talk about the texts, to really get into some of the hardest questions that these texts ask.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

Oscar: Definitely “The Trial and Death of Socrates,” specifically “Phaedo.” I think it teaches this interesting methodological practice of asking questions about life, examining your own life, and having the duty to examine be something that everyone can undertake. I also think it tells you a lot about how to live your life in the face of death and being told you have to die.

DJ: I’m going to answer this question in an interesting way. My favorite text is also my least favorite text. I absolutely hated the liberalism text. But I really enjoyed reading the students' responses to the liberalism text, because I think they took some really big difficult ideas and turned them into responses that were enlightening and surprising for me, and changed the way I thought about the text. So that was a really pleasant and lovely surprise for me.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give F&C students?

DJ: Number one, don't lose yourself, you're gonna go through a lot in your life before college, during college, and after college. And I think it's really easy to try to become someone you're not. But above all else, stay true to who you are, stay true to your community, and stay true to your roots. Number two, don't sweat the small stuff. There are going to be a lot of things that come up every day that make you think the world is going to end. But at the end of the day, because you're part of such an amazing program, and because you built this amazing community, everything is going to be okay. And I can't promise that but I can say that this program has helped make that more possible.

Oscar: That's great advice in totality, but just what I would add is, you should always rely on each other as resources. Part of being a part of a group like this is that everyone has something really insightful to add. You are each other's greatest resources.

DJ: Don't lose touch!

Oscar: The second thing I would say is to think about examining your life, not just as something that you do while you're reading great books, but as something you do at all points in your life. There's this great quote where Rilke is writing to his student, and he says, “no matter what you go through in life, you always have to remember to live the question.” So it's not about finding the answers, but it is about making the question and the struggle a part of your life.

DJ: Yeah, and adding on to that, the current moment in your life is that of the college application process and I think one of the many questions you're asking yourself is what is the point of college? What is the purpose of college and why does college exist? Something that was really important for me to remember and some really good advice that I got is that above all else, college is for you to advance as a thinker, to make yourself a better thinker, and to challenge the way you normally think. So going into it with that mindset definitely helps you not lose sight of who you are and why you're in it.

Oscar: Yeah, that's good advice.

What is one fun fact about you?

DJ: There’s a couple facts. One fun fact about me is that I am an enjoyer of many different genres of music, ranging from Indie Pop to Habibi Funk.

Oscar: A fun fact about me is that I write crosswords in my free time.

DJ: I support your crossword endeavors. I feel like we can make this more fun by sharing fun facts about each other, because I have a fun fact about Oscar.

Oscar: Okay, a fun fact about DJ that you would’ve never guessed from having a conversation with him is that he enjoys Turkish culture. He’s from Turkey and enjoys Turkish psychedelic folk rock.

DJ: Correct. A fun fact about Oscar is that he enjoys working out. So whenever you ask him “Oscar, do you want to hang out,” he’ll say “I think I'm gonna head home and maybe work out.”

Oscar: A fun fact about DJ is that he said he wants to be a lawyer after college.

DJ: This is true. A fun fact about Oscar is that he enjoys American Studies and that he has almost exclusively taken American Studies classes so far at Columbia, which he has enjoyed many of.

Oscar: A fun fact about DJ is his amazing laugh.

DJ: A fun fact about Oscar is he's an enjoyer of reading.

DJ + Oscar: HAGS! (Have a Great Summer!)

Olivia Ruble, RTA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: August 3, 2023

Introduce yourself!

Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana

Major: Ancient Studies & Visual Arts

What drew you to work at F&C?

When I came to Columbia, I really struggled with feeling like I had just gotten lucky or slipped in somehow. At the same time as I was applying to F&C, I was also trying to read most of these texts for the first time in class. So when I found it difficult to read and analyze these texts, this only made me feel more unqualified. I think if I had been able to participate in a program like this, I would have felt more confident coming into college. I was really excited to get to do that work with you guys now so that you could hopefully take your next step feeling as qualified and competent as you all really, truly are!

What is your favorite part of the program?

I love hearing you all discuss the readings. During the school year, it’s easy to get sucked into the same discussions over again and over again. But when I spoke with you guys, whether in reading and writing hours or more casually, I always felt like I learned something new about the readings. I am also looking forward to college mentorship!

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

“Pericles’ Funeral Oration,” but mostly for sentimental reasons! It was one of the first readings I did during my freshman year and have had to read it a lot since then (there are only so many ancient funeral orations!). I have loved seeing it be interpreted and reinterpreted since my first reading back in Art Humanities.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

Please make sure to relax! You all work so hard and deserve to take a break when you can.

What is one fun fact about you?

I have three siblings from Ukraine!

Maya Darville, RTA, Barnard College ‘24 

Date Interviewed: July 26, 2023

Introduce yourself!

Hello! My name is Maya Darville. I’m a senior at Barnard College and I’m from Atlanta, Georgia. I’m pursuing a combined major in Africana and American Studies and a minor in Anthropology. I’m a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, and I’m working on a project that focuses on the intersections between race, gender and sexuality within the activism of the Civil Rights Movement. This year, I served as a Residential Teaching Assistant for the Freedom and Citizenship Program. I look forward to gaining more experience in education, research, and policy.

What drew you to work at F&C?

That’s pretty easy. I have a good bit of experience in student mentorship and in education. I'm a predoctoral student and a pre-law student , meaning that I am going to go to grad school to get a PhD in Africana Studies with the intention of becoming a college professor. I also plan to pursue a JD with the intention of becoming a civil rights lawyer. Ultimately, I strive to create equitable educational policy. Growing up, my experiences mirrored a lot of you all’s. I was a low income student at a predominantly white school with very little support for the college application process. I didn't know anybody who wanted to major in Political Science or Africana Studies, so I didn’t even know where to start in my search for college mentorship. I'm the first in my family to even consider law school. So, I figured that the younger version of myself would definitely find a program like this helpful, and I just found that my skill set matched what F&C was looking for. Working with low-income students, students of color, and other underserved student populations makes my heart happy. This is what I want to do with my life.

What is your favorite part of the program?

My favorite part of the program? I would say reading hours, I like reading hours a lot. I enjoy reading and writing hours just because I feel like that's when I get to hear the most about what you guys think about the texts. We have some philosophical conversations about life and school. I feel like that's where you all make real life connections with the things that you're reading. Within these times, I’ve seen you all take your educational journeys by the head. It’s so fulfilling to watch you all draw connections between the text, your experiences, and systems within the world we live in.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

My two favorite readings are predictable because I’m an African American Studies major. Number one would probably be Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's Letter from Birmingham Jail just because it's eleven pages of scalding critique of the Baptist Church. It needed to be said. I also appreciated the well articulated shade in it, because I think a lot of people have this conception that activism and policy is this, like, clean cut thing. That you have to be cordial and civil and all things, and he's still a non-violent leader, but people need to be reminded [about] who they are. The whole point of his speech was to put a mirror up to the religious sector of the country and be like, “Oh, is this what you stand for? You're telling us you want us to do this, but you are condoning hatred on the other hand, why is it that we have to be peaceful while you all can call us racial slurs?” Whilst maintaining his air of non-violence, Dr. King points out the hypocrisy and the complacency of the white moderate. This piece is emblematic of the ethos of the whole movement. 

I think my second favorite would have to be The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois just because he's one of my favorite anthropologists. He is one of the first people to even pioneer the idea of double consciousness, which is, in simple terms, the idea that as minority people (or in his example Black people) have their own consciousness that is characterized by our perspectives, experiences, and sociocultural understandings. But in order to survive in a country or a society that hates you, you have to almost absorb the consciousness of the oppressor so you can figure out how to navigate life. It creates turmoil and a unique type of stress. He was one of the first academics to put a name to this feeling, and one could argue that his findings birthed a whole generation of intersectional Black literature.  Also, his work, The Souls of Black Folk is one of my favorite books, I would say.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

I would say that if the dreams that you’re having [for your future] are scaring you, you’re on the right path. What you want to do should frighten you because you are just destined for big things. I remember being your guys’ age—I feel like I date myself when I say that, I’m literally only 21—but I remember being 17 and applying to college and  being scared to even say that I wanted to go to Barnard just because it was so selective. It was so daunting to think that a student like me would be able to get into a school like Barnard or Columbia. It was even crazier to think that I could get into Barnard and prosper, but I’m here; I’m graduating next year with the highest honors, a national fellowship under my belt, research experience, and teaching experience—I’ve pretty much gotten everything I can out of this university and I’m plan on coming back. If you don’t take the chance and believe in yourself, life will pass you by. You all have to kind of buy into the fear in a way that says, “Okay, I’m having this fear. The fear is real, it’s valid, but the fear can’t control me.” In fact, you should be kind of scared. You shouldn’t look at your dreams and be like, “Oh yeah, I feel like this is 100% totally achievable.” There should be an element of vulnerability and fear to your dreams. If you’re feeling a bit of fear, you’re moving in the right direction.

What is one fun fact about you?

I’m a lifelong Michael Jackson fan. I was such a fan that I convinced my parents to give my younger brother (whose name is Michael) to make the name “Jackson” one of his middle names. There is legitimately not a single song in his catalog that I do not know. My favorite album is Invincible and my favorite song right now is Heaven Can Wait.

Joanna Cuatlayo, RTA, Columbia College ‘26

Date Interviewed: August 4, 2023

Introduce yourself!

My name is Joanna Cuatlayo. I was born and raised in The Bronx, New York. I’m a sophomore at Columbia College where I’m pursuing a major in Computer Science with a special concentration in Public Health.

What drew you to work at F&C?

As an alum of F&C I have seen the great things that happen in the program. It was not too long ago that I was doing my summer readings, responses, and making my civic project. Now being at Columbia, I want to give back to all those who helped me get where I’m at. For me, that includes helping the next generation of students. F&C lets me do just that!

What is your favorite part of the program?

Definitely the summer social programming! I know many of you guys were tired but I always loved the special conversations that came up. The small groups let me talk to several of the students on a more one on one level. I also really enjoyed the wind down hours as we wrapped our days up and talked about random things that relate (and don’t relate) to the program.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

This is a hard one for me, but my instinct tells me Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War (Trans-national America is a close second)! Reading this made me fall in love with learning after being in COVID. I remember Kathy Eden’s talk and how much it impacted me. The way these Athenian men were perceived made me think of my own values and what I do to protect them.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

Always reach out when you need help—you all have a lot of people behind your backs to help bring you to the places you want to go. Embrace the unique journey you’re on and trust the process.

What is one fun fact about you?

I play rugby at Columbia and we won Tri-States this past season!

Janus Yuen, RTA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: September 2, 2023

Introduce yourself!

I’m from Texas! I’m a rising junior at Columbia College majoring in History.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I wanted to work at F&C because helping teach high school students taking political philosophy seminars sounded like a dream summer job (it did not disappoint!).

What is your favorite part of the program?

My favorite part of the program was seeing all of y’all think; processing these difficult, age-old ideas and making them your own.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

My favorite reading might have been Douglass, because I felt like coming out of Rousseau, Locke, and Hobbes, students’ thinking and writing was really starting to blossom. I remember people finding ideas from previous readings in new ones that did not reference [those previous ideas] directly, mixing ideas, and starting conversations.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

My one piece of advice is to keep searching for the answers to the questions we only began to ask in F&C: What is the ideal relationship between a society and its government? What obligations should bind us to one another? What does a just order look like? What does it really mean to be free? Free from what? Free to do what? I don’t advise this because it will not serve to protect you in life or any other immediately practical purpose. In fact thinking critically about how the world around you is run is exactly what’s most likely to get you in trouble. But [it’s still important] because one, an examined, self-conscious, socially-conscious life is a fundamentally richer life. [You] can’t argue about this one: one agrees or one doesn’t—and given that y’all chose to come here I’d assume you do agree. Two, while your searching may not help yourself, your example may help others, your community, your society, to consider—and therefore determine—their own political end goals. The viability of the good life, arguably, depends on the existence of a good society. Yet being a thinking, conscious citizen might not be the end goal of that society, but rather a necessary means for bringing that society about. Oh, also, second piece of advice: remember that words matter. The words you use indicate your principles and build the world we live in, as you saw with your readings. Treasure words, your own and others’ alike, and pay attention to what those words do in the world.

What is one fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is that I can wiggle my ears.

Fernanda Bustillo Aguero, RTA, Columbia College ‘24

Date Interviewed: July 27, 2023

Introduce yourself!

My name is Fernanda. I'm a rising senior at Columbia College majoring in English and comparative literature.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I took a class with Dr. Lee during my sophomore year and as the director of the program she advertised it to our entire class and said that if anybody was interested they should apply. I thought the program was really well structured and that it was an interesting opportunity to develop my own teaching skills and extend my own views on philosophy and education.

What is your favorite part of the program?

My favorite part of the program is getting to know all of the students. I think by the end of F&C, especially it being my second summer doing it, getting to know so many people with such bright futures is really exciting.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

My favorite reading in the program is probably The Allegory of the Cave. I think it's probably the most fun to kind of reenact as a lesson, but I find myself thinking a lot about it going through school and going through the world.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

One piece of advice I would like to give F&C students is to not take everything so seriously. I think a lot of the time the better things in life come when you relax a little bit, but I know that senior year of high school is incredibly intense and everything feels like it's the biggest decision in the world, so just realizing that living day-by-day sometimes is fun and exciting is also a good way to kind of see life.

What is one fun fact about you?

Today was the first day that I learned I could do a pull-up.

Devon Hunter, RTA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: July 27, 2023

Introduce yourself!

I'm Devon Hunter. I am a rising junior at Columbia University, studying Economics and American Studies, and I’m from Maine.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I think what we do at F&C is really great in terms of providing college access. I mean, I think that's such an important thing that I know I wish I had, and that I know a lot of people who work here wish that they had. I think that it's super important and I'm happy to be a part of it.

What is your favorite part of the program?

I’ve really enjoyed getting to plan social programs. I just came from the Escape Room, which, as always, was a huge hit. [There has also been] a trivia night and a PowerPoint party. It's been a blast.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

I really like Trans-national America by Bourne. The way he thinks is very modern, but it's also very American. The way he writes, it's the sort of thing that can only be written in a modern American context, and I think it's a very special piece.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

Don't stress, be calm.

Alright, I've been told to elaborate — you all put a lot of pressure on yourselves with college and other things and I get it. It's understandable, but it's not beneficial. Don’t be afraid to just chill out a bit. All of you are very driven and hardworking students and we all know you're going places.

What is one fun fact about you?

Earlier today the editorial staff of the F&C newsletter said I looked like Abraham Lincoln.

Beatrice Agbi, ATA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: August 4, 2023

Introduce yourself!

My name is Beatrice but I go by Bea. I’m a rising junior at Columbia College, and I’m from Queens!

What drew you to work at F&C?

I found out about F&C from a flier that had been posted around campus—I originally wasn’t going to apply because I didn’t want to work at Columbia after having spent the entire school year there, but I ultimately did because I believed in its mission. I wanted to help people. More specifically, I wanted to help students feel more confident in themselves, especially as they navigate the college process, which can be very intimidating.

What is your favorite part of the program?

Seeing the students grow! I genuinely think all of the students that I’ve worked with have become much better writers and much more articulate thinkers. On the whole, they all seem more confident in their ideas.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

Definitely the excerpt from “The Souls of Black Folk” by Du Bois. I was never a big fan of any of the Greek stuff, and I think that Du Bois is a fantastic literary writer. His work is just so well done, and it’s really interesting how a lot of the stuff he’s writing about (particularly about the veil and double consciousness) can be applied to the present day.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give F&C students?

Chill out! Yes, the college process is stressful and scary and overwhelming, but don’t let it control your life. When I was in high school, there were so many students who were so focused on getting into the number one school at all costs, so much so that they let that goal stop them from being in the present moment, whether that be having fun with their friends or enjoying their education. You should definitely work hard to get into college, but don’t let it stress you out any more than it needs to. At the end of the day, you all are more than prepared for college; the fact that you're in F&C and reading and writing about all these difficult philosophical texts means that you are more than capable. And you already have a F&C support network that is going to help you get into college.

What is one fun fact about you?

I took Latin for 5 years! I would say my peak Latin reading skills were in senior year of high school, but even today I can read mottos and some other stuff pretty well.

Andrew Michael Lichtblau, ATA, Columbia College ‘25

Date Interviewed: August 12, 2023 

Introduce yourself!

I’m Andrew, one of the ATAs for F&C this summer and a Philosophy major entering my junior year at Columbia College.

What drew you to work at F&C?

I’ve had experience teaching in the past, which is what drew me to do something in that arena, but this was actually the first time I had the opportunity to work directly and closely with students, which was the biggest appeal of F&C. Also, I had taken a class in the American Studies department with Casey Blake which I really enjoyed—he actually ended up coming in and speaking to Professor Roberts’ class during F&C.

What is your favorite part of the program?

Definitely working in tutorial groups after seminar every morning—especially on days when my group was doing an engaging activity or a debate. It was always really fun to watch students get really invested in the ideas they were talking about.

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

The Allegory of the Cave, if orientation readings count. It’s a somewhat nostalgic text for me, because learning about Plato’s Cave was essentially my introduction to philosophy, but also I really enjoy being creative and having students act out how they imagine the cave.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

Don’t leave what you’ve learned from F&C inside the classroom. Take the passion and energy for conversation that you’ve developed with you and start looking for ways to think more critically, more collaboratively, and more creatively in other areas of your everyday life.

What is one fun fact about you?

When I was in high school I was a page for the U.S. Senate, coincidentally during Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, so I actually got to sit in the room for a week while the trial went on, and I got to be in the room during the final vote.

Aixa Jimena Flores-Dominguez, RTA, Columbia College ‘24

Date Interviewed: July 26, 2023

Introduce yourself!

I’m Aixa, my pronouns are she/her, and I’m a rising senior in Columbia College studying Religion and Political Science. I’m from Omaha, Nebraska. I grew up there, but I was born in Mexico.  

What drew you to work at F&C?

Honestly, I think the demographic of kids that were going to be able to do it. If I would have been your guys’ age and lived in the city, I probably would have been doing a program like this. I thought it was a super valuable experience to be able to do. I really, really wanted to work with high school students because I haven't had as much teaching experience so I was really excited to do that.

What is your favorite part of the program?

I think my favorite part of the program honestly—and I don't think I would have said this, but I do now—is living with you guys. I think it helps us all as RTAs, at least for me it does, to build a better relationship with you guys and get to know you away from just simply an academic setting. Also, you guys get a lot more rowdy and are your guys' selves at night so that really helps [to get to know you better].

What is your favorite reading in the program and why?

Douglass’s Fourth of July Speech. I really, really, really enjoy that one because I like the way that he decides to phrase the speech and makes it so that he can convey his points a lot better than if he simply had just stated them directly. He’s similar to Socrates, where he kind of gives a question and then answers it.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to give to F&C students?

This is kind of corny but to believe in yourself, especially when others tell you that you can't do something. I feel like if I would have not believed in myself when I was your guys’ age, especially when applying to college, I would not be where I am. I think that it’s incredibly impactful, especially for students of color or from low income areas or especially from immigrant backgrounds to know that it's okay for you to be your number one fan and motivator, and to ask for help, definitely, but also just for sure to believe in yourself. You should be your last judge determining whatever your future is going to be because you're the one that's going to have to live with it.

What is one fun fact about you?

When I was seven months old, I fell off a bed and broke my head. So I have two big scars right here (gesturing at sides of her scalp) from when I fell off the bed. It was my brother who was jumping on the bed. I rolled off onto the tile floor from a high bed, but I survived, obviously.