Senior Gianni DiTola started out pursuing a mathematics degree at Purdue University, but quickly learned he enjoyed his elective courses in philosophy more than math. After a time of personal conversion, he transferred to Saint Mary’s and began formation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary.
After attending one of the largest universities in the nation, DiTola instead favors the active participation that occurs in Saint Mary’s philosophy classrooms. “I enjoy the program a lot. It’s very intimate. The classes are engaging, and the professors are generous with their time,” he said. “Having had the experience of a big school, I’ve seen the difference in quality of education. At a big school, you get a lot of information, but at a small school, you encounter the process of learning much more.” DiTola said with a subject like philosophy, students shouldn’t be memorizing, they should be working through theories together.
He believes all students benefit from philosophy courses.
“Taking philosophy makes you think critically,” DiTola said. “But it also gives you a great command over reason and language. I think a lot of disagreements we have in our world stem from not understanding what another person is saying or when we may disagree with an aspect of what they are saying and thus take everything they are saying to be wrong. Philosophy gives you the skills necessary to understand what a person is saying.”
