Meet Afnaan Qureshi, May 2025 Philosophy and Political Science Grad

In fact, he grew to love it so much that he declared philosophy as a major and later added a double major in political science. Now, as he approaches graduation day, Afnaan reflects on what he has learned about both himself and a world of big ideas during his time at RIT. 

• Hometown: Lincoln, MA
   
• Program of Study: Philosophy BS and Political Science BS double major with an immersion in international relations.
   
• Co-ops/Internships:  Internships with Social Media Team at TRT World and Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services. Co-Op with the Rochester District Attorney Special Investigations Bureau
   
• Scholarship: Peer reviewer for STANCE undergraduate Philosophy journal Volume 18. Published a paper on legal positivism in the Washington University Undergraduate Law Review. 
   
• Campus and Community: Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Volunteering to help aid earthquake victims in Gaziantep Turkey, Teaching Assistant  for ITDL 151H.01 How to Be Human
   
• Awards and Honors: Guller Young Scholar Award Sigma Alpha Mu, Spring ’23; Commencement Delegate College of Liberal Arts Spring ‘25; Center for Statesmanship, Law, and Liberty Travel Grant 2024-25; RIT Honors Program. 
   
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/afnaanqureshi/
   
• After Graduation Plans: pursuing a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Information Ethics at Northeastern University, Arlington, Virginia campus.

What has been the most transformative experience of your time at RIT? 

Having the ability to communicate and build a relationship with professors—from bouncing off ideas after class over a cup of coffee to numerous other opportunities to connect—has changed the trajectory of his career many times, Afnaan reports. 

Additionally, during his time at RIT, he has made a lasting impact with Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services (RRRS), working with the organization to aid refugees in Rochester. His experiences with RRRS built insights and understanding that he applied to shaping how he contributed to the ITDL 151H.01 course “How To Be Human” for which he was a teaching assistant.  

What was your favorite class?

PHIL 416 Existential Idealism. Although he reports having enjoyed all of the classes within RIT’s Philosophy Department, PHIL 416 was the perfect academic environment for him. 

“It was a relatively small class, with a cohort I had gotten to know from other courses, leading to constant participation and questions directed at Dr. Terezakis while we engaged in some pretty intense topics,” he explained. “After asking for her input on how to engage with the material outside of class, Dr. Terezakis suggested (indirectly by telling us how much time students would spend reading together to prepare for lectures) that we read the Symposium together. So, we did the only logical thing: we dressed up in togas and grabbed our books, then read through the dialogue in the Liberal Arts Student Lounge one Friday night that spring.” 

What’s your favorite memory from your time at RIT?

“Interactions with the diverse RIT community.” 

If you could go back to when you were a first-year student and just starting at RIT, what advice would you give yourself?

“Take time and engage with classmates. Keep working on building community because your community is there,” says Afnaan.

Thinking about your journey at RIT, is there anyone that you'd like to thank?

Afnaan is thankful for all who have helped him during his time at RIT, and shares a special appreciation for Professor John Capps, Ph.D. (philosophy), Professor Katie Terezakis, Ph.D. (philosophy), Professor Joseph Fornieri, Ph.D. (political science), Associate Professor Benjamin Banta, Ph.D. (political science), and Professor Silvia Benso, Ph.D. (philosophy and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies).

“For taking the time to sit down with me and reflect, for being an outstanding mentor and my primary thesis advisor, and for encouraging us to be curious about how we know what we know” Afnaan says he’s grateful for support from John Capps. “From the Brain In the Vat driving past false barns to a pragmatic theory of truth, he would leave room for discussion through and after the end of class.”

He credits Katie Terezakis for introducing him to fascinating philosophical topics like semiotics and existentialism and encouraging him to study the Critique of Pure Reason during his first year. “I ended up needing a companion for [it], along with a Kant Dictionary so I could make it through the first section,” he said. “Thank you for being an incredible advocate and professor.”

For instilling a love of the classics, from Roman (classical) constitutionalism to constitutional rights and liberties, Afnaan is grateful to Joseph Fornieri. “With his guidance, I learned how to read Supreme Court cases, write case briefs, and build up a knowledge base of essential landmark cases. Thank you for serving as a co-advisor for my final thesis and for your wisdom in helping to identify the cases.”

Lastly, he has appreciated the steadfast guidance of both Benjamin Banta and Silvia Benso during his time at RIT. 

— Reported by Kayla Gullage (’28 BS), majoring in journalism with applied modern language in French, College of Liberal Arts Student Reporter