Student Testimonials
Having previously studied very little political theory, I finished the semester in Professor
Tampio’s class with a firm grasp on some of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century and a
desire to learn more. I now continue to study political thought, and I value the insight that
Professor Tampio provided in the class. - Jamie, University of Virginia, Class of 2005
I found this to be a thought provoking course in which I learned not only about political
philosophies, but my own beliefs. – Hamilton College Teaching Evaluation
By nearly the end of the first week of classes, Professor Tampio had already learned all of our
names and begun to create a more comfortable classroom environment. Whether it be in his daily
preparedness, his ability to clearly convey complex topics, or his approachability, Professor
Tampio embodies what I want in a teacher, an advisor, and a mentor. – Adam, University of
Virginia, Class of 2005
Professor Tampio’s ability to engage his students and spark their interest in the subject matter is
phenomenal. It was nearly impossible not to be captivated and moved by his lecturing ability on
the course material. One of Professor Tampio’s major goals throughout the semester was to
encourage us to see the undercurrents of politics. He presented this principle by comparing it to
the ocean. He wanted us to look beyond the rippling waves of the ocean to see the underlying
tides and currents that cause the big waves in our society. His ability to show each student that
he was interested in his or her ability to understand the material was exceptional and was one of
the factors that made students feel comfortable enough to open up and freely express their ideas
in the classroom. It was a great pleasure to be in a class taught by such an extraordinary person.
Because of his passion and enthusiasm, I now have the desire to continue my studies in political
theory. – Lynette, University of Virginia, Class of 2006
I felt compelled to come to each lecture with an open mind because I knew that with each lecture
I was going to walk away with a different point of view. – Matthew, George Mason University,
Class of 2005
I can say with some degree of certainty and sincerity that I have studied with one of the finest
emerging young minds in the discipline of Political Theory. Professor Tampio deftly weaved
tenets of ethics, cultural criticism, etymology and epistemology into our discussion. Moreover,
though we examined a spectrum of different scholars, from left-liberal John Rawls to the more
conservative Leo Strauss and Hannah Arendt, Professor Tampio led a critical but unbiased
discussion and deconstruction of each theorist. He seemed as interested in his teaching as he was
in his own scholarship, and his focus on the students fed our enthusiasm for the course.
– Jonathan, University of Virginia, Class of 2006
Professor Tampio does more than teach the material – he brings it to life by relating the material
to politics, sports, or anything else that interests college students. I have never had a class in
which such passionate, interesting and thoughtful discussions take place. – Hamilton College
Teaching Evaluation
Professor Tampio is the rare teacher that has the ability to interest students, challenge them, and
expand their horizons in such a manner that they want to learn more about the issues and topics
covered even after the class is over. – Rebecca, George Mason University, Class of 2005
Professor Tampio’s course covered a variety of thought, but no matter what theorist we were
covering, Professor Tampio kept his own political opinions out of the classroom. By focusing
exclusively on the texts we were reading, students representing a variety of political views were
willing to share their thoughts, which contributed greatly to our discussions. – Peter, University
of Virginia, Class of 2005
Professor Tampio gives extensive and valuable feedback on papers and sets high standards. He
is also very available to give feedback throughout the paper writing process. – Hamilton College
Teaching Evaluation
Professor Tampio’s teaching method caters to students of all learning styles. He did not just read
from lecture notes but came up with many ways to help students understand the political thinkers
we were studying. He often recited from the text, drew diagrams, gave analogies, and always
opened up the floor for discussion. As a visual learner, I was able to grasp much of the material
by seeing it presented on the board. – Maria, University of Virginia, Class of 2005
Toward the end of the semester, I approached Professor Tampio to discuss my desire to continue
my inquiry into political theory post-graduation. Upon learning that my interests concerned
Deleuze and the minor tradition of philosophy, he recommended a number of thinkers and books
to explore, beginning with the ancient Greeks and culminating with contemporary American
theorists. – Brian, University of Virginia, Class of 2004
The most helpful feature of the course was the schema that Professor Tampio used. It outlined
approaches to the political problem envisioned by the person, the philosophical problem,
considerations of the approach to human nature, and how the point of view was justified. He
made it very easy to compare the various thinkers and to assess the impact of the differences.
– David, MA student, George Mason University
Professor Tampio is very funny. He often would get the class engaged into the material by
telling personal anecdotes or real world examples to highlight the pertinence of a subject matter
to a group of students who might have previously thought that political theory has no real
bearing on their lives. – Gillian, University of Virginia, Class of 2006
Professor Tampio employs the Socratic method in his course: in order to properly learn political
theory, he said repeatedly, we should ask the most prominent thinkers in a variety of camps how
they address contemporary political problems and issues. It was always clear that Professor
Tampio loved his work as an academic. – Bradley, University of Virginia, Class of 2005
Great job, professor. I really enjoyed the course and learned a lot. After class it makes me run
outside and argue with my friends about the issues discussed in class. – Hamilton College
Teaching Evaluation