August 07, 2025
Paige Haehlke
From Lake Forest to Cambridge: Sam Bickersteth ’24 pursues PhD in philosophy of religion
After graduating from Lake Forest College, Sam Bickersteth ’24 returned home to England to pursue a master’s degree in the philosophy of religion at the University of Cambridge, and he will begin his PhD there in the same field this fall.
Originally from East Sussex, a southeastern county of the United Kingdom, Bickersteth crossed the Atlantic Ocean for college for the chance to keep playing soccer without giving up academics. After meeting with men’s soccer coach Dan Andrews—who is also British—in London, Bickersteth chose Lake Forest College as his home from 2020 to 2024.
“Lake Forest was the best place for me,” Bickersteth said. “It’s a beautiful location, has a great sized community, and the academics are strong.”
At the College, Bickersteth double majored in philosophy and English. He always loved English and became interested in philosophy after the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic gave him the time to read Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, a novel that changed his life and enticed him to learn about different ways of thinking about religion.
“Studying English and philosophy covered most of my academic interests,” Bickersteth explained. “I could read about theological thinkers through the English department and debate those ideas in my philosophy classes. They’re both fantastic faculties where I was able to study what I loved quite freely.”
In addition to discovering his academic passions at the College, Bickersteth also found personal growth. Moving to and living in a different country gave him a new sense of independence—one he wouldn’t have gained by staying in England.
“By being abroad and adapting to a different culture, I gained new horizons—a broader conception of the world,” Bickersteth said. “I grew into myself and grew in confidence, often through the help of the faculty, of people who would encourage me to pursue what I was good at and pursue what I loved.”
But after living in the US for four years, Bickersteth was ready to return to the UK and start the next stage of his life closer to where he grew up. He was accepted to pursue his master’s in the philosophy of religion at the University of Cambridge, continuing the research his senior thesis focused on.
“I loved what I studied, and I felt that I had a strong enough application to be accepted,” Bickersteth said. “I’ve really adored this past year studying at Cambridge. It’s been absolutely fantastic.”
Bickersteth’s research put into conversation the major themes and ideas of two very different thinkers—the Irish ninth century theologian John Scotus Eriugena and the French twentieth century philosopher Gilles Deleuze. He will continue exploring the work of various theologians as he pursues his PhD over the coming years, also at the University of Cambridge.
“The College carves out space for the individual student, and if you care about what you’re doing, you can do something quite special and profound.”
Looking back on the PhD application process, Bickersteth wishes he could tell his younger self to embrace uncertainty and remain open to new possibilities.
“There was a moment I thought I wasn’t going to get funding and wasn’t going to be accepted, and I was very lucky to have it work out in the end,” Bickersteth said. “But I think it’s important to understand that the joy you derive from achieving certain things is as much about the process of getting there, even if you don’t reach your ideal conclusion.”
Bickersteth isn't set on his post-PhD plans and is looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
“The beauty of doing my PhD is that it will give me time to think it all through and to come up with options, and I can see what door might open for me,” Bickersteth said.
Bickersteth is grateful for his time at the College, as it gave him the confidence to apply to Cambridge and pursue a future studying something he’s passionate about.
“The College carves out space for the individual student, and if you care about what you’re doing, you can do something quite special and profound,” Bickersteth said. “I was able to find what I thought was meaningful rather than having that dictated to me, and I would say that that was probably Lake Forest’s greatest virtue in propelling me forward.”