Utah Lyceum Founders

Here are some people you will meet at the Lyceum:

Kristopher Phillips

Kristopher G. Phillips
Instructor and Co-Founder

Dr. Phillips is currently an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Southern Utah University's department of Languages and Philosophy. He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Iowa in 2014 with a focus in Early Modern Philosophy (17th and 18th Century). Phillips grew up in mid-Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University in philosophy and legal studies, and a Master of Arts in philosophy from Western Michigan University with a focus in the philosophy of mind. While attending the University of Iowa, Phillips co-founded the Iowa Lyceum, and earned a competitive teaching award. Phillips served on the American Philosophical Association's Committee for Pre-College Instruction in Philosophy from 2015-2018, and has always found philosophical outreach particularly important and rewarding. In addition to his scholarly work, he has published popular essays in Coffee: Grounds for Debate, Twin Peaks and Philosophy, Standart Magazine, and Arrested Development and Philosophy, the latter of which he co-edited. He received a "Distinguished Educator" award at SUU in 2019.

Kirk Fitzpatrick

Kirk Fitzpatrick
Instructor and Co-Founder

Dr. Fitzpatrick joined the faculty at Southern Utah University 2003. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Philosophy and as the Director of the Grace A. Tanner Center for Human Values at SUU. He earned his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University in 1999. His research interests concern value and politics in ancient philosophy. Fitzpatrick teaches courses in philosophy, in the classical Greek language, and in the Masters of Public Administration program. In philosophy he teaches ancient philosophy, ethics, and political philosophy. In Greek he teaches a series of Greek language courses that allow students to complete the language requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree. In the MPA program he teaches ethics for public administrators. He received a “Distinguished Educator” award at SUU in 2008.

Gretchen Ellefson

Gretchen Ellefson
Instructor and Co-Founder

Gretchen Ellefson has been teaching at Southern Utah University since 2019, the same year she received her PhD in philosophy from Northwestern University. Her research is in philosophy of language. She is interested in the role that social relations play in communication and miscommunication.