Featured Student: Gabbie Lamb

BIO

• YEAR AT MURRAY STATE :Junior

• HOMETOWN: Mayfield, KY

• MAJOR: Philosophy 

• MINOR: Legal Studies

• QUIRKY FACT: If you were to ask me any question involving Spider-Man, I’d have an answer ready for you.

• FAVORITES: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (book) / Catch Me If You Can (movie) / Star Wars: The Clone Wars (tv show) / Serial Killers Podcast

• FAVORITE FOOD OR DRINK TO GET ON CAMPUS: Einstein Bagels—I love their Turkey and Cheddar Bagel!

• FAVORITE CAMPUS EVENT: Campus Lights

Q&A

Why did you choose to attend Murray State?

I chose Murray State because that’s where my family’s always gone to school. It’s a beautiful campus with a very friendly atmosphere! I can’t imagine going anywhere else!

Why did you choose your major and minor?

I have aspired to be a professional editor/writer since I was a freshman in high school. What drew me to a major in English/Philosophy rather than just English is that many people think philosophy is pointless and impractical. And this is actually one of the main reasons why I love studying it so much. There are no set rules for what philosophy is—no right answer—and if my studies have taught me one thing, it’s how to argue a point of view I created from the ground up.

Choosing to major in philosophy has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. While it has been difficult, this major has challenged me to think in ways no other major has. It forces me to question everything I think I know, and that has changed my perspective on life as a whole. This major has actually made me see the world differently.

Tell us about a few of your favorite courses, projects, or mentors.

I absolutely loved HUM 211: The Humanities Tradition with Dr. Andy Black, PHI 260: Death with Dr. Rory Goggins, and ENG 310: Intro to Linguistics with professor Keith Winkler. ENG 451:Advanced Genre Study in Drama with Dr. Osborne is another course to add to my absolute favorites, They were just incredibly interesting courses with equally incredible professors! 

For HUM 211, what I enjoyed most about Dr. Black’s class was that he fused Ancient Greek literature with modern-day technology. He posed questions such as: can experiencing a game be like experiencing a piece of literature? Should video games be considered a serious medium for art? From discussions of The Odyssey and Iliad, to Frankenstein, to the Watchmen and Black Panther, there was never a dull moment!

Dr. Goggin’s PHI 260 explored the nature of human mortality. It was my second philosophy class at MSU, and while the topic could be somewhat depressing at times, it was also extremely fascinating. Attempting to find the answers to these metaphysical and ethical questions regarding death was a challenge and experience I wouldn’t give up for anything!

ENG 310 with Mr. Winkler was truly an unforgettable experience. He made the class super fun and came up with many different activities that challenge us to analyze linguistic data from various viewpoints. He had us explore language acquisition and dialect variation and many other topics in a way that was just extremely engaging and eye-opening.

In Dr. Obsorne’s ENG 451, we studied the multiple techniques and traditions of drama with a central focus on tragedy. Dr. Osborne made the class a pleasure to attend; from the dynamic discussions to the incredible online posts, I learned a lot in this class and often apply what I learned to other courses.

Tell us about any accomplishments you’ve experienced while at Murray State, or any clubs/organizations you’ve been part of.

In spring 2020, I was awarded Outstanding Student in Philosophy from the Department of English and Philosophy.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I plan to go onto law school where I will study copyright law in hopes of securing a job at a publishing house in their contract/legal department.

What advice would you give to incoming students at Murray State?

Get to know your professors! Go to those office hours, email them if you have questions on the course material. They can offer career advice, serve as mentors, or be a source for a summer internship. These are the people who are more than likely going to be your letters of reference. And, also, they are just really interesting people!

Thank you, Gabbie!