21. Why Students Still Read Books — Inside the Tocqueville Fellows Program at Furman University

What does it take to build a community of students who still read books, ask difficult questions, and engage seriously with ideas?

In this episode of Tocqueville Talks, Brent Nelsen sits down with Lucy Southwell, the behind-the-scenes force who helps make the Tocqueville Center’s programs possible. As Manager of Student Programs and Events in Furman University's Politics and International Affairs Department, Lucy coordinates much of the work that supports the Tocqueville Fellows, lecture series, retreats, and special events.

But this conversation goes beyond logistics.

Together, Brent and Lucy reflect on what makes the Tocqueville Center distinctive, why students continue to seek out serious intellectual engagement, and what they have learned from working alongside some of Furman’s most curious and thoughtful undergraduates.

Lucy brings a unique perspective. With a background in arts administration, nonprofit leadership, theater, and cultural management, she approaches education from outside the traditional world of political theory. Her observations offer an illuminating look at how students engage with ideas, scholars, and one another.

The discussion explores the culture that has developed around the Tocqueville Fellows program and why visiting speakers consistently leave impressed by the quality of student questions and conversations.

Topics include:

• Why intellectual curiosity still matters in higher education.
• What visiting scholars notice about Furman students.
• The role of books, discussion, and civil disagreement in education.
• Social media, attention spans, and the return to serious reading.
• How the Tocqueville Fellows program creates opportunities for intellectual growth.
• The hidden work behind organizing lectures, retreats, and academic events.
• Building communities dedicated to truth-seeking and lifelong learning.

Brent and Lucy also reflect on the growth of the Tocqueville Center, including the expansion of Tocqueville Scholars, Beaumont Fellows, student publications, and future programming.

At a time when many worry about declining attention spans and the effects of digital culture, this episode offers a hopeful reminder that students still hunger for meaningful conversation, challenging ideas, and opportunities to think deeply about the world around them.

For anyone interested in higher education, civic formation, liberal education, or student intellectual life, this conversation provides a glimpse into the people and programs helping sustain those traditions today.