The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics invites applications from current Santa Clara University sophomores and juniors (rising juniors and seniors) for the Hackworth Fellowships in Applied Ethics.
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics invites applications near the end of the current academic year from Santa Clara University sophomores and juniors for the Hackworth Fellowships in Applied Ethics. Selection of Fellows will be made before the close of the current academic year. Students who are selected as Fellows will serve in the fellowship as juniors and seniors during the following academic year.
The goal of the program is to have Fellows engage more deeply with the application of ethics to a topic of concrete concern, to complete an important project related to that concern, and to grow as an ethical leader. In order to pursue this goal, Fellows are expected either to develop their own programs in an area of interest to them or to work with existing programs at the Ethics Center. These programs can be on as wide a range of topics and use as wide a range of methods as are of interest to each fellow.
The Fellowships are for the full duration of the academic year and fellowship recipients receive a stipend of $4,000.
The Hackworth Fellowships are supported by a gift from Joan and the late Michael Hackworth.
During the course of the Fellowship, Fellows are expected to spend four to five hours a week on Fellowship activities including a seminar that meets every other week throughout the academic year. Fellows are also expected, when possible, to participate in Ethics Center events. Some preparatory work may be required of Fellows during the summer before senior year.
Fellows are expected to be enrolled as students at SCU for the fall, winter, and spring quarters of their fellowship year.
During the application period students will need to complete a Hackworth Fellowship Application. More information will be available during the spring quarter for fellowship opportunities for the following academic year.
As part of the application process, students will be asked to provide:
- a statement of areas of interest and/or ideas for projects that might be pursued during their year as a Hackworth Fellow.
- a recommendation from a faculty or staff member.
- a transcript. Transfer students will need to provide a transcript from their previous college or university as well as their SCU transcript.
The Fellowship is open to students from all majors. However, a demonstrated interest in ethics is a factor in favor of an applicant.
This is a wonderful opportunity to do creative work at the intersection of ethics and many different fields of study and work. Fellowship projects might, for instance, engage with other students or with an on-campus organization on an ethical theme of great importance. Or a project might involve working on a topic in ethics with an off-campus organization. Or a project might involve doing a major research paper on a topic in applied ethics. Or a project might involve working closely with an Ethics Center staff member on a project in one of their respective fields (see below). Or a project might be something great that we haven't done before and that you come up with!
- Ethics and Campus Life: The Ethics Center is looking for a team of three to five fellows (a mix of current sophomores and juniors) who will work to engage the Ethics Center with students on campus. Think of the ethical dimension of big issues on campus now, or think of your interest in the ethical dimension of an issue that no one else is talking about.
- Business and Leadership Ethics
- Medical, Bioengineering/Biotech, and Public Health Ethics
- Journalism and Media Ethics
- Technology and Ethics
- Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
- Ethics and Homelessness
- Religious and Catholic Ethics
Meet the 2024-25 Hackworth Fellows
We introduce the 2024-25 Hackworth Fellows by sharing self-selected information about their academic achievements, career pursuits, hobbies, interests, influences, and favorite quotes. The Ethics Center looks forward to working and connecting with this extraordinary group of SCU students during the 2024-25 academic year and beyond.
JP Best is a rising Senior at Santa Clara University who studies Philosophy and Music. Outside of studying, you can find him exercising at the Malley Center, singing with Santa Clara Chamber singers, making music with his friends, and studying the Bible with New Life on Camus (NLOC). During the summers, JP has had the privilege to work for a variety of Companies and Non profit organizations.
In the summer of 2023 he worked In Chicago, Illinois, at Abbvie Pharmaceuticals doing risk benefit assessments for new therapeutic applications of toxins. This summer JP is interning with Galveston Urban Ministries (GUM) in Galveston, Texas, where he is engaging with the local community, organizing volunteer groups to address issues in the community, and providing hurricane relief in the wake of hurricane Beryl.
JP is thrilled to be working with the Markkula Center of Applied Ethics where he will be exploring ethics and homelessness! He hopes that his work will raise awareness of the homelessness crisis in the Bay Area and that he can develop strategies to empower people experiencing homelessness.
"Who do you say that I am?" Jesus of Nazareth, recorded in the Gospel of Mathew (16: 15)
Grace Davis
Grace Davis is a senior double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy and minoring in Women's & Gender studies originally from Greater Cleveland, Ohio. Grace's Hackworth project is on the relationships between the LGBTQ+ Community and the Catholic Church. She is so grateful to the Markkula Center for allowing her the opportunity to look deeper into these spaces and identities, and sharing that with the greater SCU community.
Grace was previously a Government Ethics Fellow with the Markkula Center, the Director of the Santa Clara Community Action Program (SCCAP, 2023-2024 AY) and is currently the Senator-at-Large for LGBTQ+ Inclusion and a Student Ambassador in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Having worked in non-profits, congressional offices, and law firms, Grace has explored different careers that cover themes of advocacy, policy, and community-based care. She hopes to continue this work as she looks towards life after SCU.
"Never forget that justice is what love looks like in the public sphere" - Cornel West
Tara Khambadkone
I am a junior majoring in Computer Science with an emphasis in Data Science and a minor in Anthropology. Being from Santa Clara, CA, I have always been fascinated by the technologically innovative landscape around me and curious about the limits of innovation, particularly ethical limits. With this fellowship, I will explore artificial intelligence ethics in the classroom, exploring the questions about what learning truly means in the age of AI. I’m interested in pursuing a career in ethical AI engineering and public policy, which I am excited and grateful to explore through the Hackworth Fellowship. In my free time, I love listening to music, baking, and reading.
“Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ I try to fight that. That’s why I have a clock on my wall that runs counterclockwise.” - Grace Hopper
Noah is a junior majoring in Philosophy and Political Science with a Classics minor. He is delighted to be working as a Hackworth Fellow, and hopes to use this opportunity to elucidate and emphasize how ethical behavior extends to how individuals treat themselves. This considers intersections between pervasive employment dissatisfaction, common relationships with work, normative conceptions and trends of happiness/fulfillment/success/meaning common in modern American systems of thought, and potential alternative philosophical conceptions of those from global wisdom traditions—all culminating to research ways SCU students can have more meaningful relationships with their work while being more capable of cultivating and elevating their passions. In his free time Noah enjoys napping under different trees around campus, and plans to complete much of this project while sitting under a tree.
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." — Friedrich Nietzsche
Claire Krebs
Claire Krebs is a rising junior majoring in Neuroscience and Philosophy, originally from Portland, Oregon. On campus, she is involved with the Associated Student Government, Santa Clara Community Action Program, Safe Walk, and cognitive neuroscience research. She is particularly passionate about gender based violence, health care equity, and access to resources and support for students on campus. For fun, she enjoys running, hiking, kickboxing, reading, watching movies, and playing with her dog. She is excited to explore ethical issues on campus and get to work on cultivating the best possible SCU environment!
"Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate." - Zhuangzi
Anna Mulderink is majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a possible minor in Technical Innovation, Design, & Entrepreneurship from Chicago, Illinois. She has always been interested in the impact that social media and technology can have on children and teens. Through babysitting and camp counseling, she has seen a differences in behavior of children exposed to social media verses those not. She is excited to join the Hackworth Fellowship program and have an opportunity to investigate the specific impact social media has and how it varies by age.
"Time takes all and gives all." - Giordano Bruno
Alicia Nelson
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever” - Mahatma Gandhi
Madison Patrick
In my pursuit of meaning thus far as an academic and working professional, I have had many solemn encounters with the injustices of our society, which have solidified the vital nature of my contribution as a proponent of reform. As I have struggled to discern where these efforts can have the most impact, I’ve continuously found myself relying on the principles of ethics for guidance, especially when my own discernment, inexperience, and willpower fall short. My dedication to social justice was fundamentally inspired by a deep sense of accountability to live my personal and professional lives in parallel, striving towards the virtues of integrity, prudence, and compassion, while acknowledging how my privilege and positionality will shape my contribution to society. In the upcoming year, I will be completing my bachelor’s degree in the study of sociology and public health with the intention of pursuing a career centered on anti-human trafficking efforts.
As a Hackworth Fellow, I am seeking to address the healthcare ethics matter of the over-medicalization of childbirth, addressing the implications of Western intervention strategies on maternal and fetal health, while simultaneously acknowledging the excessive financial burden levied onto new parents that disproportionately affects marginalized communities and contributes to the severity of our country’s healthcare debt. This project will allow me to grapple with these ethical concerns within the context of the nationwide shortage of healthcare providers and the individualistic culture of care in the U.S. that exacerbates malpractice concerns and prioritizes short-term solutions above long-term patient satisfaction. I am honored to engage with this opportunity and to ensure that my peers are educated on the realities of autonomy and informed consent in healthcare.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6 Verse 33
Gabrielle Pitre
I am excited to work with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics to research the role of the Catholic Church in the institution of American slavery and how Black Catholics such as my own family reconcile this complicated history. Through this research fellowship, I am excited to continue to grow my knowledge of how ethics plays a role in the politics of our nation, and in turn, positively impacts the lives of individuals and communities.
“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” ― Michelle Obama, Becoming
Natalya Salaices
Hello! My name is Natalya Salaices and I am currently a senior majoring in Spanish with a minor in Anthropology. My professional aspirations include working in the medical field, specially those who prominently speak Spanish since our healthcare system often over looks people who are not fluent or their first language is not English. I am honored to be selected for the Hackworth Fellowship in Applied Ethics emphasising ethics around homelessness. As a Bay Area native, I am passionate about this issue and believe that everyone in our community deserves to be cared for and supported.
“Lo que vale la pena, nunca es fácil” - Mi abulita
Zara Shroff, a Communication major with a minor in Public Health, brings firsthand experience from working on major film sets and alongside prominent media and record labels. Through these experiences, she has witnessed the formidable barriers to entry into the entertainment industry. Her academic journey has been shaped by a passion for understanding how communication practices shape cultural narratives and influence perceptions of talent and opportunity.
Inspired by candid articles in publications like The New York Times analyzing nepotism in Hollywood, Zara aims to apply a similar critical lens to Bollywood. Through qualitative research and engagement with industry professionals, Zara intends to illuminate how nepotism shapes creativity and diversity in Bollywood. Her goal is to contribute insightful perspectives that advocate for a more inclusive and merit-based industry culture.
"You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try" - Dolly Parton
Caroline Smith
Hi, I’m Caroline Smith, a senior at SCU double majoring in Communication and Philosophy. Originally from Seattle, Washington, I’ve kept busy here with the University Ethics Bowl, the Strategic Communication in Healthcare fellowship, and even the Billiards Club! My passion for philosophy has deepened my appreciation for ethics and its real-world applications. I’m very excited to serve as a fellow in this program, where I hope to enhance the student experience and leave a positive mark on our campus community.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” - Carl Jung
Sophie Smithstanza
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" - Steve Prefontaine
Jamie Son is a senior public health science major and political science minor from Atlanta, GA. She is committed to social justice, focusing on addressing health disparities and advocating for affordable healthcare for immigrant communities. With this fellowship, Jamie hopes to create understanding of how bioethics intersects with the healthcare challenges faced in immigrant communities, contributing to broader movement for human rights. In her spare time, Jamie likes to crochet, listen to music, and go to new cafes.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
Edward Sorensen
"The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience" - Frank Herbert
Yasmin Urzua-Gutierrez
Yasmin is incredibly proud of her roots in Jalisco, Mexico as the daughter of two immigrants who sought freedom for themselves and their families. Her parents' migration story has inspired her future career goals and has propelled her to work with vulnerable populations. She is a Political Science and Economics double major with a minor in International Relations. Yasmin is a Horatio Alger Schott Family Scholar, a LEAD scholar, and and SVP Fellow for the Center for Sustainability.
Yasmin has embodied her mission of service by working in what she believes to be the most critical and pressing issues of our generation. She has worked as a Congressional Intern with the Office of Congressman Ro Khanna, and in the summer of 2024 she completed Princeton University's Junior Summer Institute Fellowship for public policy and international affairs. She has been a student coordinator for Santa Clara University's Center for Sustainability since freshman year, where she is known to be a fierce advocate for diversity and justice within sustainable initiatives. She also served as the Co-Chair of Hermanas Unidas, a position that enabled her to uplift Latina voices at Santa Clara. Yasmin has served international communities by volunteering with the unhoused population in Italy and being an American ambassador to Milanese high school students in the classroom.
Yasmin hopes to work with the Markkula Center to research forms of equitable and ethical migration, especially in regards to our southern border. She recognizes the humanitarian crises happening at worldwide borders and she hopes to identify critical areas of need for both policy makers and migrants themselves. Yasmin is a firm believer in a borderless world because she recognizes that crises do not halt at man-made borders and we are all global citizens that should seek solutions to better humanity.
"Lo único digno de amar en un ser humano. Es lo que le hace diferente de los demás, Vivir no es urgente, Amar si" - Jean-Jacques Pierre-Paul
Hydeia Wysinger
"Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives." —Michelle Obama