Featured image for post: Barton College to Explore Ethics in Contemporary Society in NCICU’s Annual Ethics Bowl 

Barton College to Explore Ethics in Contemporary Society in NCICU’s Annual Ethics Bowl 

RALEIGH, NC – February 3, 2023 — Artificial intelligence, mental health, and non-fungible tokens (NFT’s) in the art world are a few of the topics that may be debated under the umbrella of Ethics in Contemporary Society as part of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities’ (NCICU) annual Ethics Bowl.

Barton College will be among 16 private college and university campuses across North Carolina participating in the event on February 10 and 11 at the North Carolina Legislative Complex in Raleigh.

Barton College’s 2023 Ethics Bowl team includes: Aziah Grier, junior, social work and psychology double major; Alyssa Krasovich, sophomore, theatre major with a concentration in performance; Caroline Leegins, junior, psychology major; Monica Shaver, sophomore, history and political science double major; Mayuko Torii, sophomore, biology and psychology double major, and Catherine Wood, junior, psychology major. The Barton College coordinator for the Ethics Bowl team is Tamara Avant, who holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She currently serves as associate professor of psychology at Barton College. Her research and teaching interests revolve around group cooperation strategies, scientific inquiry, quantitative literacy, and social justice.  The Barton College team is sponsored by Duke Energy.

“This is NCICU’s 12th annual Ethics Bowl, and the first in-person event since 2020. The broad theme of Ethics in Contemporary Society presents timely and important topics for discussion,” said NCICU president Hope Williams.

“The Ethics Bowl is both academically challenging and an individually rewarding experience for our students,” she continued. “Determining ethical responses to complex situations leads to personal awareness and valuable discussion among team members and participating business and community leaders.”

Each Ethics Bowl team has four-to-six student members. A campus coordinator works with the students to help them prepare for the competition which consists of four rounds over the two-days, plus semi-final and final rounds. In each round, a specially developed case study outlining a complex ethical situation related to the theme will be presented to the teams for debate. The round is awarded to the team that makes the most sound, persuasive presentation.

Three judges and one moderator participate in each match. Approximately 60 business, non-profit and government professionals have volunteered to fill those roles.

A banquet for campus participants, judges, moderators, and sponsors will be held Friday evening at the North Carolina Museum of History. Leslie Garvin, Executive Director of NC Campus Engagement, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet. NC Campus Engagement is a collaborative network of colleges and universities that champions civic and community engagement in higher education.

Garvin has worked with the organization for 18 years and was named executive director in 2015. She holds a Master of Social Work with a concentration in social and economic development and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and African and African American Studies from Washington University in St. Louis. Garvin is a former White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellow, and an AmeriCorps alum. She is currently a Fellow with the University of California Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Garvin also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Issues Forum and co-chairs the State Summits & Networks Subcommittee of the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition.

The NCICU Ethics Bowl is made possible by sponsorships that allow students to participate at no cost to themselves or their institutions.

“Students consistently cite the NCICU Ethics Bowl as a highlight of their college experience,” Williams said. “We deeply appreciate the corporate and civic leaders who make this event possible through financial contributions and by volunteering their time as judges and moderators.”

Participating colleges and universities and their team sponsors include:  Barton College – Sponsored by Duke Energy, Campbell University – Sponsored by SageView, Catawba College – Sponsored by Catawba College Alumni Association, Chowan University – Sponsored by Southern Bank Foundation, Gardner-Webb University – Sponsored by Cherry Bekaert, High Point University – Sponsored by the Wren Foundation, Johnson C. Smith University – Sponsored by Duke Energy, Livingstone College – Sponsored by Duke Energy, Mars Hill University – Sponsored by NC Electric Cooperatives, Methodist University – Sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas, Montreat College – Sponsored by Coca-Cola Consolidated, NC Wesleyan University – Sponsored by Mindstream, Queens University of Charlotte – Sponsored by BHDP, University of Mount Olive – Sponsored by Mount Olive Pickle Company, William Peace University – Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, and Wingate University – Sponsored by Centrica Business Solutions.

Additional Ethics Bowl sponsors include BHDP; Brown, Edwards and Company; CAPTRUST; FORVIS; CORT; Ads Infinitum; Catering Works; McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture; TIAA; Truist; Colleen Kinser; Jess and Kay McCartney; Liz and Steve Riley; and Dr. A. Hope Williams.

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