Penn Arts & Sciences Pathways: Emma Davies, C'22 (VIDEO)

Through her study of philosophy, Emma Davies, C’22, combines her passion for immigrant and refugee rights with her intellectual curiosity.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Video by Evan Smith

Emma Davies, C’22, came to Penn with an interest in studying law. But she soon discovered through her philosophy classes that she could combine her passion for immigrant and refugee rights with her intellectual curiosity.

“I immediately knew that I really liked philosophy. I like how the discipline asks questions, does its research, and how it creates arguments,” says Davies. “But not until I took a philosophy class called Global Justice did I realize that these fields could actually be integrated, and that philosophy was a great way to approach the questions and the dilemmas faced by global affairs.”


As a member of Penn for Refugee Empowerment (PRE), serving the needs of refugee and immigrant families remains the focus of Emma’s career goals. With plans to attend law school after graduation, she hopes to take the lessons and ideas from her studies at Penn, which she says afford her a fresh perspective on issues that world governments are currently grappling with, into the future.

Pathways is a student series from Penn Arts & Sciences that highlights the academic journey of students in the College of Arts & Sciences and the transformational moments that have shaped their intellectual experiences.