Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice

The Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice (CEPS) is an initiative of the Philosophy Department at SUNY Cortland.

In 1997, the Philosophy Department took the creative step of focusing on applied philosophy with the launch of an innovative social philosophy program. The founding of CEPS in 2007 is the continuation of a growing vision.

Our aim is to become a regional center for the study and application of philosophical principles to every aspect of life.

Here are some Spring 26 highlights from the Center for Ethics, Peace, and Social Justice's Sophia's Gazette:

From the Director's Desk

Dr. Mecke Nagel

What a busy April it has been! We appreciate all of our donors, alumni, colleagues, and friends of CEPS, Sophia’s Garden, and the Welcoming Strangers Initiative. On Cortland Challenge Day, April 15, 2026, we engaged 120 donors and raised almost $12,000—a new record! All of us at the Philosophy Department, which houses CEPS, are very grateful, indeed. In addition, CEPS hosted a SOFPHIA conference, titled, “Justice for Good” (April 17-19, 2026). Our kick-off event was generously hosted by Ellen Rahner and Dr Doug Rahner. Ellen is a CEPS fellow who just published her second illustrated book (Second-Hand Saints: Illustrated Stories of Christian Spirituality), in addition to her many activities, supporting our Sophia’s Garden Teaching Assistants. The conference venue was again the Lynn Parks Alumni House, and its staff took exceedingly good care of us. Sophia’s Garden student leaders joined our conference held at and impressed all the professional philosophers with their brilliant contributions. In this edition, Gabbie Dwork, ’26, gives us a concise summary of the dialogue. We also celebrate our graduating seniors, and Prof. Sebastian Purcell presented awards to Vic Steiner and Shane Lothridge during Honors’ Convocation (April 18, 26). We wish them well in their future pursuits. For Earth Day (April 22, 26), Madison Godbold, ’26, surprised her Randall 5th grade students and teacher Quam Jackson with gifts of seed, planting pots and a children’s book (Our Planet) emphasizing an ecocentric perspective. It was the first time in Sophia’s Garden history, that we focused on the garden, not wisdom.

Madison Godbold, '26 (center), Dr. Mecke Nagel (right), and other students, including MaryJane Politi, Carlee Foote, Mackenzie Oliver, and TA Logan Smith at Randall School, Cortland.

Interview with Dr. Mecke Nagel, Founder of Sophia’s Garden, CEPS Director, and Chair of the Philosophy Department at SUNY Cortland

Jayne Saunders

The journey of Mecke Nagel toward becoming a distinguished Philosophy professor, educator, and community role model has been shaped by her international experiences and a deep inner intellectual curiosity. Today, she serves as chair of the Philosophy department at State University of New York at Cortland, but her path began far beyond this point. Dr. Nagel describes herself as “a product of international education.” As a child, she traveled independently to France to live with French families during school vacations. Later, during high school, she participated in a student exchange through Youth For Understanding and spent a year in Omaha, Nebraska. These experiences broadened her worldview and shaped her intellectual development opening her mind to new opportunities, ideas, and views.Her passion for Philosophy began in an English AP class while reading Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. The line that stood out to her from his writings was “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” deeply resonated with her and inspired her to pursue Philosophy as a way to better understand the human mind and the way people think and promote intentional discussion between one another. After completing her undergraduate studies in Philosophy in Germany, she continued her academic journey as an exchange student at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she later pursued graduate studies in social and political Philosophy and feminist Philosophy.Since 2008, Dr. Nagel has also served as a visiting professor at Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Fulda, Germany, helping build a long standing academic partnership with SUNY Cortland. Through student and faculty exchanges, conferences, and collaborative programs, the partnership has strengthened international learning opportunities for both institutions.Through her teaching, leadership, and projects such as Sophia’s Garden, Dr. Nagel continues to encourage students to think critically about justice and to engage in intentional discussions, never silencing their voices or their ideas.

Dr. Nagel with Spring 26 TAs during a training session at Fralick Teaching Materials Center in the Library.