THE HUMANITIES graduates are paving the future

Devin McGee sings his way in a different direction

Nicholas Torres philosophizes a future of teaching

By Ernesto Leon Co-Editor-in-Chief

Thinking critically and diving deep into analysis has become a joyous study for Nicholas Torres, the Outstanding Undergraduate for Philosophy at California State University, Bakersfield.

Torres said that his time in the program has been amazing, and he really enjoyed how small the department was.

The size allowed for more one-onone time with faculty that cultivated a supportive and personal environment.

“I took race, class, gender, and sexuality with Dr. Palaiologou and I just enjoyed the conversations that we had, along with the dialogue back and forth between students. I also like all the different avenues you can take as a philosophy major,” said Torres.

Nate Olson, assistant professor of philosophy, described Torres as impressive and dedicated.

“I really saw this skill when I coached Nicholas on the CSUB Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl team in the fall of 2020. Both during class and when we competed against other universities at the California Regional Ethics Bowl, Nicholas effectively defended our team’s positions and was charitable and positive in his questions of other teams,” said Olson.

Torres said his time at CSUB was challenging, being a double major in philosophy and psychology. It took him much effort to formulate concepts for his classes.

However, it’s also what he enjoys most about the program.

“I didn’t think it would be me. I didn’t expect to win the award, but I’m very excited and it feels great to be recognized by different faculty members who I wanted to show I really wanted to be involved in the program,” said Torres.

Torres said that winning the award has been a big accomplishment, and that he appreciates the courses he’s taken, having earned A’s and B’s in classes that have allowed him to dive into different areas of philosophy.

Torres said that, to students who plan to pursue philosophy, any feeling of misinterpretation is okay, and so is feeling lost.

He also said it is important to reach out to professors for clarification, as the topics can be very abstract and complicated.

Torres said that students shouldn’t be afraid to explore the different philosophical concepts and find something they really love.

Torres plans to take a gap year and pursue a graduate program soon after.

Torres would like to become a philosophy professor or lecturer that will emphasize the importance of ethics and applied theories in environmental and biological philosophy.

By Autumn Layton Features Editor

Mom, dad, uncle, and both sisters all have their bachelors degree from California State University, Bakersfield. Now, it’s Music’s Outstanding Graduate Award recipient Samuel Devin McGee’s turn to add to the family of ‘Runner alumni.

With a family full of teachers, McGee wanted to follow in their footsteps. So, at the beginning of college, he majored in music education. That soon changed to just music, along with economics.

“As much as I enjoy teaching, that’s not what I want to do for a career. Then, later, I stumbled into economics and fell in love with that, too. I decided to be a music major because I wanted to be able to appreciate music at a higher level and be able to understand the complexities and be able to compare and contrast different styles of music in a way that is thoughtful,” said McGee.

McGee said the music program at CSUB has been nothing but helpful and caring towards him. He started singing at CSUB two years before attending the school. The journey has been an eyeopening experience for McGee.

“The music faculty is very intentional with the students and I think one of the benefits of the CSUB music program is you get a lot of individual time with professors where they can pour into you as a student,” said McGee.

Associate professor Angel VazquezRamos had the greatest impact on McGee. They’ve known each other since McGee was in high school and their college relationship has grown even stronger throughout the years.

“He just took me underneath his wing and he has done a lot to pour into me and give me so many opportunities,” said Mcgee.

McGee says his biggest accomplishment at CSUB is his final music project for his senior seminar class. He is a Tenor 1, and decided to do a 45-minute recital singing multiple songs in German, Italian, English and French. McGee invited family and friends to watch him perform. He expressed his gratitude for the love and support he was shown throughout the process.

McGee’s involvement helped him build connections throughout the university. He tutored music theory for two years and music history for one year. Now, McGee has an internship with the oil and gas corporation Truitt. He helps them with accounting and database building.

McGee said that he didn’t know the Outstanding Undergraduate Award existed until last spring, when his friend received it.

“It feels rewarding to be recognized for the hard work. I have put in a lot of time and sacrificed a lot and those experiences have been valuable,” said McGee.

McGee hopes all continues to go well with his internship and that it opens up more opportunities.

“When the opportunity arises, jump on it. Be looking for the next thing that propels you forward,” said McGee.