Welcome from the Scholarch
Greetings! Welcome to the College of Stoic Philosophers. The College was founded in 2008 and remains the only institution worldwide focused on the theory and practice of traditional Stoic philosophy. Our curriculum attempts to re-create a Stoic education program as it was practiced in ancient Greece and Rome – with an equal emphasis on Logic, Physics, and Ethics.
I came to the College in 2011 and became the first Marcus Aurelius Program graduate under the tutelage of our founding Scholarch, Erik Wiegardt. Like many of the school’s graduates, I went on to become a member of the faculty and serve in several administrative roles. When our founder chose to retire in Summer 2021, I was invited by the New Stoa board to serve as the second Scholarch – a position I accepted with deep humility.
All students in our school begin with Stoic Essential Studies (SES), a four-month course designed to provide the learner with a basic understanding of the theory and practice of Stoicism. Students who complete the SES are eligible to apply for the year-long Marcus Aurelius Program (MAP) – a much deeper dive into the philosophy. Some graduates of the MAP are selected by faculty to continue into a Stoic pedagogy internship, culminating in an appointment to our faculty. We are unique in that our entire faculty have graduated from our College.
During my period as Scholarch, I intend to help expand our Stoic curriculum and to be ever more responsive to the growing demand for a rigorous education in traditional Stoic philosophy.
As you continue on the Stoic path toward a virtuous life, I hope you will consider joining our School.
Chris Fisher, FCSP
Scholarch