Andrew Lichtblau

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.