Jeimy Panduro Orellana did not arrive at the University Iowa with a plan. She tried different classes, uncertain what direction to take, until one course changed how she understood learning itself. 

“The second I walked into Philosophy, I knew I’d found my place,” she said. 

For Panduro Orellana, the course offered something distinct from memorization or rote mastery. “Philosophy isn’t about memorizing facts,” she said. “It’s about asking big questions, debating ideas, and creating new ways of thinking.” 

That focus on inquiry shaped how she moved through the major. She took courses in ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology, engaging with foundational questions about knowledge, morality, and reality. Outside the classroom, she joined Philosophy Club and Minorities and Philosophy (MAP), and she interned for the department. 

Those experiences unfolded within a department that, she noted, combined scale with access. “What makes Iowa special is the mix,” Panduro Orellana said. “You get the resources of a Big Ten school, but the Philosophy department is small enough that professors actually know you.” She described faculty members as, “passionate, approachable, and ready to help you tackle even the toughest material.” That accessibility shaped how she navigated demanding coursework and complex ideas. 

Panduro Orellana also pointed to the skills she developed through Philosophy. “Critical thinking, persuasive writing, debate, presentation,” she said, are “all the things employers want.” 

She connected those skills to broader academic and professional preparation, describing Philosophy as a field that trains students to reason carefully, argue clearly, and communicate effectively across contexts. Philosophy majors consistently perform well on graduate school exams like the LSATS, MCATS, and the GRE. 

For Panduro Orellana, Philosophy became more than a major—it became a practice in thinking for herself. At Iowa, that practice unfolded through sustained intellectual work alongside peers and faculty who took her questions seriously, creating space to develop her own philosophical thinking and voice.  

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