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The Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts Presents:

The 2023 Graduate Student Symposium

Taboo Dinner Topics: Religion, Politics, and Sex

      On March 15, students, faculty, and staff gathered in the East Atrium of University Hall to listen to graduate students from each department of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts. The event, which also took place virtually later that evening, centered on taboo dinner topics, including religion, politics, and sex. Each speaker had the opportunity to present a topic of interest for ten minutes, followed by discussion with the other graduate speakers and the audience. Learn more about the graduate presenters and access their remarks below. 

Dana Tarsavage

Dana Tarasavage, Yoga Studies

Religion and Sex in Yoga

      Dana Tarasavage is a master's candidate in Yoga Studies and an Authorized Level 2 Ashtanga Yoga Teacher. Her research interests include Sanskrit translation and the history and philosophy of Yoga. Beginning in 2011, she made five annual month-long trips to Mysore, India to study Yoga and now teaches traditionally rooted classes. To read Dana's remarks, click here.

Kayla Ray, Theological Studies

Christians Breaking Bread

      Kayla Ray is a MA student in Theological studies, where she also serves as a Graduate Assistant, a RAINS Research Assistant, and the Editor-in-Chief of Say Something Theological. Her primary research interests are New Testament and Early-Medieval Christian history, with a particular focus on women's history and feminist theology. To read Kaylas' remarks, click here.

Kayla Ray
Jacob Longini

Jacob Longini, English

Censorship in Literature

      Jacob Longini is from Phoenix, Arizona, and he completed his BA in English here at LMU. He is currently working on his capstone project on identity in Jewish American fiction, and he will be completing his English MA degree in May, before moving into the publishing sphere. To read Jacob's remarks, click here.

Lily Spirtos, Philosophy

From Habits to Truth

      Lily Spirtos is a second-year M.A. in Philosophy graduate student, pursuing her Ph.D. in Philosophy at Fordham University in the fall. Her main research interests are in phenomenology and hermeneutics, particularly within philosophy of religion. To read Lily's remarks, click here.

Lily Spirtos
Alexandra Martinez

Alexandra Martinez, Bioethics

Gender Equality in Sex

      Alexandra Martinez is a first year graduate student of Bioethics. She earned her B.S. in neuroscience from UCLA in 2020. Her interests include the ethics of clinical care, as well as overall health care quality, accessibility, and justice. To read Alex's remarks, click here.

Trevor McCarthy, Bioethics

Creating Savior Siblings

      Trevor is a first-year graduate student in the Bioethics Master's program. He graduated with a B.S. in Biology last June from UCLA and is interested in the ethics of emerging technologies in medicine. To download Trevor's remarks, click here.

Trevor McCarthy
Dinner Table
LMU Bioethics Institute Logo thinking man sitting on microscope
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