Peer Programming, Research Highlight 2004-05 Ethics Center Activities on Campus

Hackworth Fellowships

Three Santa Clara University seniors have been selected as the 2004-05 Hackworth Fellows at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Jon Heit (religious studies and political science), Elizabeth Simas (political science), and Carmen Wahlgren (accounting and economics) will be running programs designed to promote ethical reflection and reflective ethical action among their undergraduate peers.

Last year's Hackworth Fellows organized an ethics-themed film series (Laurie Millar '04); produced a weekly radio program on ethics (Ellen Ritchie '04); and started a club for students interested in ethics in the biomedical professions (Chris Cirone '04).
Previous efforts included a student messageboard on ethical issues, a group for commuter students, and a discussion series on the ethical responsibilities of friends.

The fellowships are supported by a gift from Michael and Joan Hackworth.

Hackworth Grants

The Hackworths also support research grants for faculty and students. Spring 2004 grantees were:

• Zeinab Chamsine, SCU senior, for travel to Lebanon to interview department directors in municipalities, ministries, and other institutions on the problem of bribery within their work environment and how it is fought.

• Thomas Plante, professor of psychology, for research on attitudes of college students toward the most important spiritual examples in their lives.

• Glen Pettigrove, lecturer in philosophy, for "We Forgive You: A Frame-work for Political Forgiveness."

Student Research Conference

On May 26, the Center sponsored the first Student Ethics Research Conference featuring work by undergraduates. Out of 17 entries, three papers were presented:

• "Education in Plato's Republic"
  Ariel Dillon '04

• "Shopping for Non-Violence"
  Kathryn Bignell '04

• "The Business of Crossing the Border"
  Jennifer Re '04

Student Ethical Dilemmas

The Center has also convened a group of students from Santa Clara and other universities to begin a project called "Ethical Choices Every College Student Must Make." These undergraduates are collecting first-hand accounts from their peers about how they handled various ethical issues. The students have developed narratives focusing on:

• Why am I in college? How hard do I work?

• Grades, classes, and academics

• Sex, dating, and relationships

• Cheating and the computer age

• Alcohol and drugs

• Loyalty and friendship

• Roommates and living with others

• The social scene

• Social conscience, tolerance, and responsibility

• Parents, beliefs, and the real me

Eventually this work will form the basis of a book on ethics aimed at a young adult audience.

More information about the Center's on-campus programs can be found on the Web at:

• www.scu.edu/ethics/about/students/

• www.scu.edu/ethics/about/faculty/