by Bridget Ruffing, ’22
Nearly four years have passed since Helena Davis (née Fahey) graduated from Thomas More College in 2018, and her formation and natural drive have borne much fruit in this short span of time. She has since graduated from Hillsdale College with a master’s degree in political philosophy, thereby continuing to cultivate her interest in American politics that was sparked by her education at Thomas More. Now, she is balancing the joys of marriage and motherhood while putting her education to good use as a Communications and Research Specialist at Cornerstone, a Christian political advocacy organization.
Helena was kind enough to take some time to provide more information on what she has been up to since her time studying at Thomas More.
What kind of work do you do at Cornerstone?
I perform a variety of tasks at Cornerstone. To name just a few, I answer emails and phone calls, handle our weekly email newsletters that go out to our supporters, and help monitor legislation pertinent to our issues.
Has the education you received at Thomas More been beneficial in preparing you for the work you do at Cornerstone? Has it helped you in other areas of your life post-graduation?
Definitely. As a Christian political advocacy organization, Cornerstone’s ultimate goal is to bring people closer to God by fighting for laws that will protect the family and the Church in our state and nation. My studies of the classics through a Christian lens at TMC helped give me a better understanding of human nature and what it really means when we say that all men are made in the image and likeness of God. It’s easy, when working in politics and especially when dealing with those who do not agree with you, to forget that Christ resides in each person. The Christian understanding of the workings of human nature that I received at TMC helps remind me of this fact every day.
Additionally, the education TMC offers trains you to think and communicate clearly, which is extremely helpful to me in my line of work, especially since so much of what I do requires effectively communicating with people. The ability to think logically and to articulate principles is invaluable when dealing with others in a political setting.
“The high academic standard to which TMC holds its students helped prepare me for how academically rigorous graduate school was.”
–Helena Davis ’18
You pursued graduate studies at Hillsdale College after earning your bachelor’s degree at TMC. Can you tell me a bit about what subjects you studied there? Did you find that your education at TMC helped prepare you for graduate school in any way?
While studying at Hillsdale, I took classes on a variety of topics within the realm of political philosophy, ranging from a course on the political thought of Plato to a class on Machiavelli’s political thought, to a class on Liberalism and post-1960s Progressivism, which was particularly fascinating, given how much those movements have influenced our current political atmosphere. My studies at Hillsdale were, in many ways, a continuation of the education I received at Thomas More. Hillsdale required that we read directly from the classics, as opposed to textbooks on political philosophy. I was already used to reading and engaging with original texts, having spent four years doing so at TMC. Additionally, the high academic standard to which TMC holds its students helped prepare me for how academically rigorous graduate school was. The heavy focus that we had at TMC on writing in particular really helped.
What was your favorite class at TMC? Why was it your favorite?
This is a hard question to answer, because there are several of them that I really loved. However, I think I would have to say the Humanities VII: American Studies course we take senior year with Dr. Sara Kitzinger was my favorite. I learned a lot that I previously did not know about America, especially our more modern period, and that class, more than any other, really sparked my interest in engaging more in American politics. I especially feel like the class helped me understand how we got to where we are today in our country.
For further reading:
Alumna Works to Defend the Family: An Interview with Emily LaFata, ’18
