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Future Medical Student Earns Philosophy Prize

Arianna Nasser, left, accepts the Philosophy Prize from professor Robert Mabrito.

Arianna Nasser received the Philosophy Prize in Honor of Professor Robert S. Bryan during a March 2, 2016 reception hosted by the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Nasser will graduate from NC State in May of 2016 with bachelor of science degrees in Philosophy and Biomedical Engineering. She will matriculate at the UNC School of Medicine in Fall of 2016 in pursuit of a medical degree as well as a master’s in public health.

Philosophy professor Robert Mabrito presented Nasser with the prize, which is given annually to the outstanding senior in Philosophy and includes a cash award.

“We are extremely grateful to have had Arianna in the program,” Mabrito said. “I am sure she will do as well (at UNC-Chapel Hill) as she has done here and the faculty at the medical school will be as happy to have her as we have been in her time here.”

Upon receiving the award, Nasser reflected on how her education in philosophy would help her as she prepares to begin medical school.

“The ethics part of it is extremely valuable,” she said. “to put forward well-informed, well-researched, well-executed, scientifically driven information is incredibly important, and to do that you have to understand the ethics behind research.”

Nasser encouraged NC State students in all fields to consider studying philosophy to enrich their educations.

“There is no discipline out there that will not benefit from an undergraduate degree in philosophy,” she said. “Whether that’s medicine, law, business – I would feel confident moving into any of those just knowing success comes from good problem solving and good communication skills.”

The Philosophy Prize was established in 2011 in recognition of the role of professor Robert S. Bryan in building the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies during his term as Department Head from 1966 to 1989. The Department’s student awards are supported by alumni annual giving and gifts from friends of the Department.