Southern

Southern Division

Learn more about the Southern Division of the Community College Humanities Association

 

The following states comprise the Southern Division:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia

Southern Division Map

Southern Division President

Sarah Jacob

Sarah Jacob

Dr. Sarah Jacob
Philosophy Department
Miami Dade Community College
Email: nlrummell@pstcc.edu

Originally from the UK, Sarah relocated to Miami in 1993. In 1997 she received her Associate of Arts degree from MDC, Wolfson Campus and in 1999, her BA in Philosophy with a minor in English Literature from FIU. She completed her MA in Liberal Studies from FIU in 2012, and in 2015 began a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of South Florida which she completed last year in 2023. Her dissertation, Becoming What One Is: Nietzsche and Buddhism, a Transcultural Perspective is the subject matter of her first monograph which is under contract to be published by Lexington Press in Spring 2025. Sarah began teaching philosophy as an adjunct faculty at MDC in 2013 and accepted a position as full-time faculty of philosophy at MDC’s West campus in 2017. Sarah teaches Introduction to PhilosophyEthicsAI Ethics, and Introduction to Eastern Philosophy.

Sarah’s interests in philosophy include comparative philosophy, ancient philosophy and 19th/20th century continental philosophy. She is also very interested in feminism, environmental philosophy and contemporary social issues including the development of artificial intelligence. She is most interested in Lebensphilosophie (German for Philosophy of Life) and considers philosophy as potentially a healing art, offering new ways to conceive of humanity that aligns with the needs of society and the environment.

Recent/Future Highlights:

  • In Summer 2024 Sarah was selected by MDC to participate in a Fulbright-Hayes scholarship to research language, culture and AI in Indonesia with a cohort of ten MDC faculty.
  • In October 2024 Sarah presented her paper, “What Can Ancient Philosophers Teach Us About the Good Life in the Twenty-First Century, at the annual Community College Humanities Association (CCHA). Her paper is under review for publishing in the CCHA journal.
  • In Summer and Fall 2024 Sarah participated in The Great Questions Workshop to discuss 1) Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and WEB Dubois’ The Souls of Black Folk, and 2) Homer’s Odysseyand Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Following the first workshop, Sarah integrated student-focused questions and excerpts from Tocqueville’s text into her class.
  • Sarah is honored to be part of a cohort of four faculty who are recipients of “The Great Questions Foundation fellowship,” to develop courses centered around student focused questions about important classical texts combined with discussion-based pedagogy.

Extra-Curricular Activities: 

At MDC West Campus she is the advisor for the YES! Club (For Sustainable Living). If you join you can participate in event planning, urban gardening, and nature walks in the everglades.

She is a/an:

  • Fulbright Fellow
  • Black History Month committee member
  • Changemaking Committee member
  • Humanities Edge Faculty Lead
  • Honors Certified Instructor

Non-Academic Info:

Sarah loves cats and lives with a handsome feline named Samson. She is married to a handsome philosopher and musician, MDC professor, Darrell Arnold. Outside of teaching Sarah spends her time bike riding, hiking (when traveling), doing yoga, reading, gardening, writing songs, hanging out with friends, and occasionally she plays music at a local cafe!

Southern Division Vice President

Position available! Contact us!

Southern Division Secretary

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