On May 1, Parker Rose graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's College of Arts and Sciences. Rose navigated rigorous coursework and built long-lasting relationships while pursuing her degree – those experiences, according to Rose, substantially impacted her approach to living and learning in the world.
During her time at UAB, Rose served as president of the UAB Philosophy Club for two years, was the student representative for the Department of Philosophy, and was also an opinion columnist for Kaleidoscope, UAB’s student-run news outlet. Rose plans to pursue her Ph.D. in philosophy and was accepted into the esteemed doctoral program at UCLA beginning this fall.
Rose credits UAB for providing an environment that ensures the growth of its students.
"It was this environment that really allowed me to flourish and in which I learned what I was truly capable of," she said.
Rose made a profound impression on faculty members across the Department of Philosophy, including department chair David Chan, Ph.D. and Brynn Welch, Ph.D., a recipient of the 2021 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
"Parker is exceptional in every way: brilliant, hard-working, reflective, and just such a wonderfully kind person," said Welch, assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy. "I'm over the moon about her success but not the least bit surprised by it. UCLA is very lucky to have her. We certainly have been."
Rose was awarded the prestigious Beinecke Scholarship in 2020 to pursue graduate education, becoming UAB’s first-ever Beinecke Scholar. The scholarship provides awardees $4,000 immediately before entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 while attending graduate school.
The Beinecke Scholarship Program encourages and enables exceptional students to pursue a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Each participating institution in the Beinecke Scholarship Program may nominate only one student and Rose was chosen as UAB’s 2020 nominee.
Rose also expressed thanks to her mentors and advisors in the Department of Philosophy and the College of Arts and Sciences.
"My mentors in the philosophy department taught me the value of collaboration, openness, and encouraging one another towards getting to the truth over winning an argument," said Rose. “In my experiences at UAB more broadly, I was consistently impressed by the level of care and attention that advisors put into ensuring an ideal environment for the growth of their students.”
