Four students from across UCCS have been selected to pursue principle-based ethics projects with a paired UCCS ethics fellow for the Spring 2023 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 at UCCS College of Business and allows students to earn up to $1,500 per semester working on principle-based ethics projects at UCCS.
Students selected for the ethics ambassador program are paired with an ethics fellow in their field of interest to create ethics programs, conferences and curricula 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 spring we are pleased to welcome seven students to 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 2023 student ambassadors include:
- Bryana Owens, Master of Arts in History, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Ethics Fellow: Christina Jimenez, Professor, Department of History, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Echolalia Randolph, Bachelor of Innovation in Digital Media, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Ethics Fellow: Thomas Wahl, Senior Instructor, Technical Communication & Information Design, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Alisha Silkey, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Ethics Fellow: Sloan Gonzales, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Education and Outreach
- Braden Wedel, Bachelor of Science in Business – PGA Golf Management, College of Business
- Ethics Fellow: Mark Bacheldor, Program Director of PGA Golf Management, College of Business
The students above will be joined by these returning student ethics ambassadors in Spring 2023:
- Chase Culver, Bachelor of Innovation in Business Administration, College of Business
- Ethics Fellow: Jennifer Kling, Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Legal Studies, Department of Philosophy, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences
- Averi Eisaman, Nursing, Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Ethics Fellow: Helen Graham, Associate Professor, Nursing, Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Grace Martinez, Master of Business Administration, College of Business
- Ethics Fellow: Carol Finnegan, Associate Professor of Marketing, Strategy and International Business, 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.
“From my experience as an ethics student ambassador, I hope to gain a greater understanding of how to apply ethics in business, especially in golf operations,” said Braden Wedel. “Specifically, I want to use ethics in merchandising, tournaments, and membership issues. I also want to learn to apply ethics in staff management, since that will be one of my primary jobs as a golf professional. I also hope to be a student leader in my PGM program, and I think this ambassador experience will benefit my ability to be a leader.”
“As a lifelong student and an educator at heart, I believe my admittance into this program will be extremely beneficial for me as well as the program,” Bryana Owens. “I am a strong believer in education and ensuring that learning is both fun and ethical.”
The Student Ethics Ambassador program begins in August and January of each year, applications for Fall 2023 will open in April. Find more information about the 2022-23 student ethics ambassadors online.
About the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program
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. Find more information online.