Kamryn M. (IN A NUTSHELL)

Hi! My name is Kam and I am a recent Stanford graduate with a degree in philosophy! With six years of experience as an educator in both one-on-one and group settings, I am passionate about helping mentees of all ages not only to excel academically but personally. Beyond assistance in the subjects listed above, I am interested more deeply in assisting in the process of helping students become who they want to be. To me, this existentialist project is most readily undergone through working with students on the college application process, particularly the personal statements and supplementary questions, engaging in book clubs, or applying abstract concepts to everyday circumstances and interpersonal relationships. Whether we are working together on solving the deep questions in life or simply prepping for a class, I hope to inspire my mentee to develop critical reflection skills that allow them to more fully understand themselves, their relation to their friends, family, and educators, and their relationship to education itself.

As a philosopher rooted deeply in the Socratic, Hegelian, and Freirean schools of thought, I aim to not merely lecture mentees on the subjects that interest them, but also interrogate their intuitions on subjects so that they can come to their own independent understanding about which positions and knowledge speak most readily to their lived experiences and methods of learning. Whether those methods of learning are through reading, writing, discussing, ranting, listening, watching videos, or playing games, I aim to support my mentee's growth in a way that encourages their academic or personal development and cultivates a love for the acquisition of knowledge.

My truest loves in life are philosophy, education, and freedom. I am interested in analyzing the essence of human freedom. This analysis is undergone through the lenses of both the natural sciences and political sciences: In the natural sciences, I am interested in the philosophy of physics, neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, and linguistics, trying to understand the material structure of the human mind and intentional action. In the political sciences, I am interested in intersectional critical theory as it pertains to the realms of literary, legal, economic, political, historical, and educational critique, attempting to understand the interlocking cultural systems and structures that facilitate or hinder human freedom. Ultimately, my goal in life is to receive a Ph.D. and become a professor and author, educating and contributing to the field of philosophy in the hopes of understanding freedom and how to actualize it for all individuals.

In my free time, I enjoy reading books, playing piano, playing video games, spending time with my friends and family, and watching YouTube videos about philosophy, politics, video games, anime, and music theory. In the interim period between receiving my undergraduate degree and attending graduate school, I am learning how to cook and am learning to speak Mandarin. I look forward to getting to know you!