Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Irie Browning! Irie has been accepted to the University of Oregon's PhD program in Philosophy with full funding. University of Oregon's Department of Philosophy encourages focus fields and notes their "Our commitment to integrated pluralism involves engagement with the major traditions of contemporary Western philosophy".
Their overview notes:
Our program is known for its pluralism, close mentoring relationships between graduate students and faculty, a faculty committed to teaching excellence as well as research, supportive rather than competitive relationships among graduate students, and professionally active and successful graduate students.
Irie Browning is an undergraduate at Eastern Washington University, graduating this spring 2024 with a major in Philosophy and a minor in English. Literature. Though she finds nearly every aspect of philosophy fascinating, her areas of special interest are literary ethics, action theory, American pragmatism, and ancient Greek philosophy (particularly the works of Aristotle). Irie’s first McNair Summer Research Internship, under the mentorship of Dr. Christopher C. Kirby, examined John Dewey’s Pattern of Inquiry and how it could be applied to inspire a greater passion for learning in college freshmen. In Summer 2023 Irie and Dr. Kirby diversified their inquiries, this time in virtue ethics as it applies to friendship. Her project proposes a philosophy of hope and love as a path forward in our hyper-individualized modern culture. We know her devote work ethic and unique scholarly framings will benefit any program, and propel her future career in Philosophy.
