Student Activities
DSPT makes every effort to encourage its students to participate in extra-curricular
activities and organizations. The school sponsors a reception for lay students
and another for new students at the beginning of the school year.
Students invited to attend the monthly student forums, the student philosophy forum - ‘The
Owl of Minerva’, or the student theology forum - 'The Dumb Ox'. During the gatherings students present and discuss
a variety of philosophical and theological topics. The forums are open to the general public.
Three times per semester DSPT Alumni sponsor Philosophy Movie Night. A movie is shown in the Theatre Classroom and a chosen philosophical topic is discussed after the movie.
For several years, students have organized a poetry reading. Students from
all GTU schools are invited to submit original poetry. With some financial help
from the school, the students have also published selected poems each year in
a volume entitled Ruah.
Students are also encouraged to participate in GTU
events. In addition to the bulletin boards near the school entrance, fliers
in student mailboxes are often used to convey information about upcoming events.
DSPT students may become members of and avail themselves of the services and
offerings provided by several affiliated institutions of the GTU consortium.
In addition to school liturgies every week, and occasional special speakers,
etc., the ASDSPT, in association with the Dean of Student Affairs, actively
works to orchestrate various types of student-sponsored extra-curricular events
throughout the year. Additionally, through regular work with the Deans of Student
Affairs at the other two Catholic Schools of the GTU, the DSPT Dean of Student
Affairs works to develop and promote “Tri-School Events” open to
the students of all three schools. Some of these events have included: Informal
gatherings of the students, faculties, and staffs of the three Catholic Schools
at the beginning of each school year and informal “coffee houses”
where the students, faculties, and staffs of the three Catholic Schools come
together to share music, poetry, discussion, etc.
All of these activities are perhaps enhanced by DSPT's central location --
not only as the physical center of the Graduate Theological Union itself, but
also to the wider San Francisco Bay Area. As in real estate, location says it
all -- and the DSPT is situated in one of the best. Academic, athletic, social
and cultural activities combine to prove the old real estate adage correct.
The DSPT sits where cultures meet and life is celebrated. Three blocks away is
the University of California at Berkeley. Within the surrounding several blocks,
are excellent restaurants, theaters, coffee houses, libraries, unique communities,
and shopping. Just across the Bay is the city of San Francisco with its
unique cultural opportunities. The wine country and beaches are easy day trips,
and Lake Tahoe, Monterey and Yosemite are great destinations for weekend getaways.
Whatever the interest -- inside the walls of culture, or in the great outdoors
-- it can be found in or around the DSPT.
For a current list of news and events at DSPT see the News and Events Section
of the website: News and Events
and Calendar
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