New student ethics ambassador program provides engagement opportunities, partnership with ethics experts

The students selected for the ambassador program are paired with an ethics fellow in their field of interest to engage in ethics opportunities and programming.

Students across UCCS are now able to pursue principle-based ethics projects with a paired UCCS Ethics Fellow – and get paid while doing it.

The new student ambassador program is offered through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program at UCCS College of Business and allows students to earn up to $1,000 a semester to engage in ethics opportunities, gain program-based work experience and develop valuable leadership skills.

The Student Ethics Ambassadors Program started in fall 2019 as a pilot program with five student ambassadors. After a successful first year of collaboration between ethics educators and students, the DFEI at UCCS expanded the program to welcome 11 student ambassadors for the 2020-21 academic year.

Students selected for the ambassador program are paired with an ethics fellow in their field of interest to create ethics programs, conferences and curriculum to be delivered to UCCS and the greater southern Colorado community. Ethics ambassadors are given unique opportunities to network with industry professionals and compete in state- and nation-wide ethics events to demonstrate critical thinking skills in business ethics. Each student works collaboratively with their ethics expert to share resources and initiatives with students, educators and the business community.

“We are pleased to include student ethics ambassadors in the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program at UCCS,” said Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the DFEI at UCCS. “Ethics ambassadors champion principle-based ethics among our students on our campus, recognizing that employers value service, campus leadership and engagement that demonstrates ethical decision-making.”  

The selected 2020-21 student ambassadors are: 

  • Morgan Bergquist, Bachelor of Science in Business, sport management
    • Ethics Fellow: Spencer Harris, associate professor of sport management
  • Roxaly Diaz Delgado, Bachelor of Innovation
    • Ethics Fellow: Colleen Stiles, co-director for strategic alliances and partnerships, instructor of innovation
  • Kevin Dlugos, Master of Public Administration
    • Ethics Fellow: Regina Winters, assistant dean of School of Public Affairs, senior instructor of public administration
  • Cameryn Fox, Bachelor of Science in Business, finance, minor in marketing
    • Ethics Fellow: Thomas Wahl, senior instructor of technical communication and information design
  • Alex Fredrich, Bachelor of Science in Business, sport management
    • Ethics Fellow: Spencer Harris, associate professor of sport management
  • Delaney Gust, Bachelor of Science in Business, accounting
    • Ethics Fellow: Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the DFEI at UCCS, professor of marketing
  • Michaela Petti, Bachelor of Science in Business, finance, minor in pre-law
    • Ethics Fellow: Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the DFEI at UCCS, professor of marketing
  • Morgan Pracht, Bachelor of Arts in Organizational & Strategic Communication
    • Ethics Fellow: Jennifer Kling, director of the Center for Legal Studies, assistant professor of philosophy
  • Ali Singer, Master of Business Administration, healthcare administration
    • Ethics Fellow: Meghan Stidd, assistant dean for external relations, College of Business
  • Gabriella Tachis, Bachelor of Science in Business, sport management
    • Ethics Fellow: Spencer Harris, associate professor of sport management
  • AJ Vafiades, Bachelor of Arts in Visual & Performing Arts, dual concentration in dance and theater, minor in management
    • Ethics Fellow: Kevin Landis, director of the Academic Theatre Program, professor of theatre

“We are proud to provide another touchpoint for students to engage with ethics at UCCS,” said Karen Markel, dean of the College of Business. “These students are developing valuable leadership skills in the context of an ethical framework that will guide them throughout their careers. We look forward to another impactful year of collaboration between ethics educators and ambassadors.”

A virtual Ethics Champion Orientation will be held on August 21-20, 2020 to recognize the incoming DFEI at UCCS Fellows, UCCS Student Ethics Ambassadors and SCEC Ethics Champions to prepare them for their new roles as ethics educators. Find more information about the 2020-21 student ethics ambassadors online.

The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program at UCCS College of Business is a resource for principle-based ethics education, serving students, educators and business community. The UCCS College of Business is one of eight original participating schools in the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program that now includes twelve participating schools. Since 2016, the DFEI Collegiate Program at UCCS has partnered with schools of the Southern Colorado Higher Education Consortium to expand principle-based ethics education. College presidents select one faculty member to be an Ethics Champion for their campus. Find more information online.