Sidney Corkery

1. Where are you from?

I am from an unincorporated rural neighborhood just outside of Atwater, CA. It’s located

in the central valley, about 15 minutes north of Merced.

2. When are you expecting to graduate?

I expect to graduate in 3 semesters. Unofficially in May of 2020, but I will be officially

done after the following fall semester.

3. What’s your major (and minor, if applicable)?

I am a Philosophy Major.

4.What’s it like to be a student at Chico State?

I would have to say that the most defining part of being a student here is responsibility. An essential feature of my experience at Chico State has been an active engagement with the stories of others within this institution, listening to them as well as the products of my own experience and carefully considering how I can help make this institution a better place. It is important as students and as adults in the community that we look at the environments we exist in critically and call attention to all of the problems that we witness and experience.

5. How do you like living in Chico?

As a student I have come to love Chico. I have found home in pockets and communities

that have connected through school and local businesses. For instance, I am involved in a writing

group with an inspiring group of young poets and that has been an essential feature in my

enjoyment of Chico. I have also met many beautiful people in conversation around class and

small talk at local coffee shops. Chico has been a place where I have grown so much and has

catalyzed some of the most important experience and relationships in my life and I will always

remember it fondly for that reason.

6. What’s been your favorite class at Chico State and why?

Every class offers an opportunity for growth and learning, so when prompted with this

question I always find it hard to offer one answer. In the Philosophy Department our students

and staff create such an open and wonderful learning environment that is always invaluable and

worth while. However, I would have to say, for very personal reasons, that my favorite class was

Ethics Bowl. My participation with this group of philosophers inspired me and helped me grow

my love for philosophy. It is where I found my passion for my field and where I cultivated life

altering friendships. It was the start of my academic career, so it will always be the closest to my

heart.

7. What would be your most important advice for incoming freshman?

Your path is entirely your own, it is not any better or worse than your peers or what is laid out as an expectation for you. It is important to trust yourself and affirm who you are and where you constantly. It is essential to your life and your career that you know you belong here and that you have so much to offer.

8. What do you plan on doing when you graduate from Chico State?

Throw caution to the wind, travel and apply to graduate programs.