Immanuel Chioco (Section 001)

- Name: Immanuel Vicerra Chioco
- Class: Sophomore (though I should be able to be classified early as a junior after this fall semester ends.)
- Major/Minor/Career Plan: Political Science (Pre-law cognate.) I have a minor in Journalism. I do not exactly have a "clear cut" plan yet, but I obviously DO want to somehow be involved in the legal system of the U.S. judicial courts. I've long been intrigued with the legality and reasonableness of the laws and arguments our society is faced with everyday. I do not want to enforce the law (though I acknowledge it is absolutely necessary... it's just not my cup of tea, if you will) as much as I want to interpret it (i.e., what the separate powers of the federal and state governments are, as well as what the gray areas are in which they meet.)
- Random facts: I am Filipino (with a little bit of Chinese from my Dad's side and I little bit of Portuguese from my Mom's.) My Mom and Dad met in New Jersey after they had moved to the U.S. from The Philippines (1985 and 1983, respectively.) That's where my Brother and I were born, but he moved around to Pennsylvania, Michigan, and finally Tennessee in 2001. My older Brother and I were trained in classical piano from a young age; we both went to Governor's School for the Arts here at MTSU eventually, him going in 2005 and myself in 2009. Though I love piano, I chose a different route of career plan, while he decided to stick with music, which has been his passion and love for a long time (he recently graduated from Belmont University this past may with degrees in commercial music composition and English writing.) He has been my inspiration for a long time and I try to set my standards up to his. I feel like I've been given so much (and yet, I've had to work HARD for a lot of things, at the same token) and I just want to make my Family proud. Growing up in a different society than from my parents (who grew up under dictatorship), I feel like I should take every opportunity that I can grasp. I also have two dogs: Guardian (male... mixed breed of Cockerspaniel and Beagle... turned 12 years old today!!!) and Sugar (female... fox terrier... will be turning 10 in December.) I love them both to death. I also have two cats: Wendy (female... we found her outside on a Wednesday afternoon, hence "Wendy..." will be around 2 years old now) and Remy (in remembrance of a good Family friend... will be around 1.5 years old now.) I also like to read and run anywhere between 3 - 6 miles in my spare time. I am also conservative (though I do have my liberal stances) and a Christian. I am a HUGE Kansas Jayhawk men's basketball fan, but I also respect Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Florida, Butler, and Belmont. In my spare time, I like to watch college basketball as well as figure skating, gymnastics, and swimming (but the last I usually just watch when the Olympics are shown on television.)
- What is philosophy? In my opinion: One's own view of the world, whether obtained through the exchange of ideas with people or by self-reflection; a set of connected, supported views and/or arguments in an attempt to find an answer to a question.
- How have others influenced yours? I have gained considerable knowledge through my interaction with others. Certain people, namely my Family and instructors, have fed me with new ideas I never would have thought of myself. I believe that most of my two-way dialogue exchanges have influenced me towards a most sympathetic, loving, and positive view of the world and its inhabitants. I've also traveled to many countries (Canada, Holland, Romania, The Philippines, and China... I've had to fund raise my way to almost all of these! Fortunately, I was able to fund raise enough to pay for the Holland, Romania, and China trips without almost any self-expense for the flights) and have seen the variety of living, beliefs, and suffering from one region to the next. Sometimes I really just wonder why everything is set the way it is... Why one idea seems to dominate over a group of people and another does the same for a different clan. Gahhh, the possibilities are endless, I guess... However, possibility IS a good thing, isn't it? :).