Philosophy and Religious Studies

Photo of Richie Shulz
Photo of Richie Shulz

Richie Schulz

Major

Philosophy

Minor

Applied ethics

Activities

Track and Field

Member of Alpha Phi Epsilon Fraternity

Active Dancer

About

Why philosophy

I first got interested in philosophy in high school when my IB English class read The Stranger by Albert Camus and “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kakfa. After taking a course on ethics in my first semester at Ursinus, I knew that philosophy was the path I wanted to pursue. I was less concerned with accumulating the factual knowledge that some other majors focus on, and more interested in developing skills related to critical thinking and reading, argument, and communicating complex ideas through writing. Additionally, I plan on going to law school after college and I felt that philosophy was good major to prepare me for the rigors of law school because of the intensive nature in developing those skills.

Most Memorable Moment in Class

During the summer after my junior year, I went to Japan with my professor and a team of other students for research on a human experimentation ethics paper we were writing. While traveling in Kyoto, we went for a walk down the “philosopher’s path,” a modest stone walkway which situated itself between an endless line of cherry blossom trees and an old canal that carried giant koi. Though neither the fish nor trees revealed to us any deep philosophical truths as we strolled among their company, engaging in the Socratic Method along this path with my team and professor was one of the more enjoyable moments I’ve had while discussing philosophy as a student at Ursinus.

Life After Ursinus

After I graduate I plan on going to law school and become a civil-rights lawyer, or study social justice in a master’s program at a graduate school in the United States.