MPhil Student and Alumni Stories

James Washington
James Washington MPhil ‘23

Climate Manager at School District of Philadelphia

James Washington (MPhil ’23) coaches Kensington students on how to thrive in the classroom. His school experience both supported and inspired his interdisciplinary thesis.
Alain Plante
Alain Plante, MPhil ‘24—expected

Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and Faculty Director of the University Scholars Program, University of Pennsylvania

Soil scientist Alain Plante created an interdisciplinary MPhil curriculum to explore environmental history and philosophy, and gained a deeper appreciation for the humanities.
Faris Zwirahn
Faris Zwirahn, MPhil ’22

Lecturer of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University

With courses in moral philosophy, political science, and law, Faris designed his Master of Philosophy in Liberal Arts to answer today’s most pressing questions in global justice.
Rebekah Martindale
Rebekah Martindale, MPhil ‘23

Director of Operations and Development at Main Line Classical Academy

A customized MPhil curriculum is helping Rebekah pivot from her finance career to a future PhD focused on her lifelong passion: medieval literature.
Denise Dahlhoff
Denise Dahlhoff, MPhil ‘10

Senior Researcher, Consumer Research at The Conference Board
Senior Fellow at the Lauder Institute for Management and International Studies at the Wharton School

Explore the unexpected intersection of folklore, urban studies, and pop culture history that served as the foundation for Denise’s ethnographies of urban places.
Andie Tursi, MPhil ‘19

Director of Marketing and Communications, Cesium

Hear how the MPhil program positioned Andie to fulfill her professional and creative writing ambitions.
Ryan Tsapatsaris, MPhil ‘17

PhD student at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

Learn about Ryan’s research interests in LGBTQ media practices and how his experiences in the MPhil program helped him prepare for a PhD.
Chris Mustazza, MPhil ‘15

Director of Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences Computing at the University of Pennsylvania

Discover how MPhil research helped Chris prepare for a PhD while he contributed to PennSound's audio archive.
Daniel E. Murray, MPhil ‘19

President & CEO, Praitie Studios LLC
President & CEO, Jobs Logger LLC

See how the MPhil program strengthened Daniel’s research and his skill set as a scholar.
Jeffrey LaMonica, PhD, MPhil ‘17

Associate Professor of History, Global Studies Program Coordinator, Delaware County Community College

Discover how the MPhil program enriched Jeffrey’s teaching and writing career.
Jonathan Broder, MPhil ‘19

Chief Legal Officer at Conrail

Hear how the MPhil program supported Jonathan's ambition to write an engaging historical narrative about his company.
Karen Borek, MPhil ‘19

Master of Philosophy student, University of Pennsylvania

Learn how Karen deepened and expanded her study of South African culture.

Culture, community, and city living

Explore everything Penn has to offer, including the vibrant city life of Philadelphia.

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Contact us

Have any questions about the MLA? Reach out to our program director or enrollment team for a one-on-one discussion.