In San Antonio’s main library, Jackson Jones ’28 came to believe in the power of the circle.
Jones, one of several Trinity University students who’ve studied through Trinity’s Philosophy and Literature Circle (PHILLIT), saw a new way to look at the world. “Everyone in that circle had something to say, and no one is elevated above anyone else because of status,” he says.
Jones loved the PHILLIT program so much that he spent his summer facilitating his own circle in the San Antonio community. Connecting with eight community members of various backgrounds at the downtown San Antonio Public Library, Jones facilitated the group on a philosophical journey according to “Circle Practice,” an Indigenous life tradition that promotes participants’ pursuit of knowledge as equals, not mentors and pupils.
“I'm interested in seeing how everyone in their respective lives can incorporate the values and the practices of the circle,” Jones says, presenting at Trinity’s Summer Undergraduate Research and Internships Symposium on July 23.
The group’s readings went all the way back to Plato, but circle practice goes back even further, Jones explains. “This is a way of life that’s been practiced in Indigenous communities for thousands of years,” he says. “I think, whether we’re talking about education, philosophy, or even environmental studies, we have an opportunity to learn from it.”
The circle is not new, but it is picking up fresh momentum. The Mellon Institute, through the Imagining Freedom Grant, just funded Trinity’s PHILLIT circle to the amount of $1.8 million in 2025.
Jones says he’s inspired by both Philosophy Professor Judith Norman, Ph.D., and Elly Gonzales ’23, assistant program director, who continue to run PHILLIT. “They’re just such strong forces for inclusion and justice,” he says.
After a summer of exploring works that raise questions about collectivity, belonging, and a radical connection to place, Jones says he’s struck by circle practice’s long-term impact on participants.
“A lot of participants share that once they enter the space and become comfortable and tuned in, there's this insurmountable wealth or pool of knowledge that they draw on for the rest of their lives,” he says.