Four new Student Ethics Ambassadors to partner with Ethics Experts

Four headshots of UCCS students with a campus picture in the background

Four students from UCCS have been selected to pursue principle-based ethics projects with a paired UCCS ethics fellow. These students join a returning seven student ethics ambassadors to engage in ethics opportunities, gain program-based work experience and develop valuable leadership skills.

The student ambassadors 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 working on principle-based ethics projects at UCCS.

Students selected for the ambassadors program are paired with an ethics fellow in their field of interest to create ethics events, 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.

“This year we are thrilled to have 11 students from a wide variety of academic disciplines serving as UCCS ethics ambassadors,” said Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the DFEI Collegiate Program at UCCS. “Each student brings diverse perspectives to our ethical discussions and we look forward to their leadership on campus this year.”

Each student ethics ambassador receives a nomination from UCCS faculty and staff and submits a statement detailing how they intend to utilize ethics to support their academic and career goals.

The new student ambassadors include: 

  • Makayla Montague, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
    • Ethics Fellow: Dan Lykins, senior instructor human physiology and nutrition
  • Shewli Ghosh, Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
    • Ethics Fellow: Colleen Stiles, co-director for strategic alliances and partnerships, instructor of innovation
  • Geffen Ferszt, Master of Arts in Psychology
    • UCCS Faculty: Sara Qualls, Kraemer Family professor of aging studies, interim director of clinical training
  • Emilie Fox, Master of Criminal Justice and Master of Public Administration
    • Ethics Fellow: Cortny Stark, assistant professor of counseling and human services

These students will be joined by seven returning student ethics ambassadors:

  • 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
  • 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

This year’s student ethics ambassadors bring perspectives from a variety of majors and industries, and each have put ethics at the forefront of their educational goals.

“As I am approaching a career in the medical field, principles that this program honors are closely related to challenges I will be facing in the future,” said Makayla Montague in her statement of consideration. “I look to support this program by contributing my perspective to the conversation about ethics and morals, but also listening to others. In the tough times we are living through now, this conversation is more important than ever.”

“As a student studying cybersecurity, it is prudent to have a strong ethics base when closely interacting with sensitive data,” said Shewli Ghosh. “Without strong moral fiber, security professionals can run into serious legal and potential criminal consequences simply because of mishandling data. Having the chance to learn in-depth through this program would ensure my skills are attuned with the needs of the IT security field.”

Find more information about the 2020-21 student ethics ambassadors online.

About

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.