Four Student Ethics Ambassadors partner with Ethics Experts

Alisha Silkey (top left), Steve Jacobs (top right), Ari Oakes (bottom left), and Jack Brock (bottom right) have been selected as Ethics Ambassadors for the spring 2022 semester.

Four students from across UCCS have been selected to pursue principle-based ethics projects with a paired UCCS ethics fellow for the Spring 2022 semester. These students will engage in ethics opportunities, gain program-based work experience and develop valuable leadership skills. 

The student ethics ambassador program is offered through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program (DFEI) at the College of Business and allows students to earn up to $1,200 per semester working on principle-based ethics projects. 

Students selected for the ethics 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 nationwide 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 have these four students serve as ethics ambassadors for the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program at UCCS,” said Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, director of the DFEI at UCCS. “Their commitment to championing ethics on our campus and beyond will further our understanding of ethical decision-making and leadership.”  

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 spring 2022 student ambassadors include: 

  • Steve Jacobs, Master of Business Administration, College of Business 
    • Ethics Fellow Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, Director of Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative and Professor, College of Business 
  • Ari Oakes, Geography and Environmental Sustainability, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences 
    • Ethics Fellow Gretchen Bliss, Director of Cybersecurity Programs  
  • Jack Brock, Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering 
    • Ethics Fellow Gretchen Bliss, Director of Cybersecurity Programs  
  • Alisha Silkey, Psychology, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences 
    • Ethics Fellow Sloan Gonzales, Program Director of CLC & UCCS Lead  

The students above will be joined by these returning student ethics ambassadors in Spring 2022: 

  • Delaney Gust, Accounting Emphasis, College of Business 
    • Ethics Fellow Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, Director of Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative and Professor, College of Business  
  • Cameryn Fox, Finance Emphasis, College of Business 
    • Ethics Fellow Thomas Wahl, Professor, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences  
  • Michaela Herring, Master of Business Administration, Service Management Emphasis, College of Business  
    • Ethics Fellow Lauren Hallaron, Professor, College of Business  
  • Sabrina Estrada, Master of Arts, Counseling Clinical Mental Health Counseling, College of Education 
    • Ethics Fellow Cortny Stark, Assistant Professor, College of Education 
  • Beth Rockwell, Master of Arts, School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling 
    • Ethics Fellow Cortny Stark, Assistant Professor, College of Education 

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.  

Alisha Silkey, a psychology student, states, “I have a strong desire to be a business professional who embodies strong ethical principles and has a deep understanding of ethics. Being a DFEI Student Ambassador is the perfect learning opportunity to become closer to my goal of being a trustworthy and fair business professional that creates viability and acts with integrity, transparency, and respect.”  

“DFEI gives me the opportunity to both learn about and educate others on the topic of ethics in technology and how it can apply to the world of cybersecurity,” added Ari Oakes. “As the world of cybersecurity grows and becomes ever more influential, the need to ensure that every individual is safe online and protecting themselves from outside threats is growing rapidly. My desire to share with others how and why they need to keep themselves and their families safe is my primary motivator for applying to be a Student Ethics Ambassador.” Oakes is currently studying Geography and Environmental Sustainability through the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences.   

Learn more about the 2021-22 student ethics ambassadors here.

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. The DFEI supports the Southern Colorado Education Consortium (SCEC) for nine higher education institutions in the southern half of the state. In 2016, the DFEI Collegiate Program at UCCS launched an ethics champion pilot program to expand best practices in ethics education. Each participating school has educators serving as Ethics Champions on their campus to expand principle-based ethics education and resources throughout southern Colorado. The program has since expanded to include a large variety of events and programs for educators, students and business members throughout southern Colorado. Learn more here.