The team includes Anna Armstrong, a senior studying History; Jennifer Carbajal, a first-year student studying politics; Rachel Davis, a sophomore studying politics/environment and sustainability; Suzie Rodriquez, a junior studying politics/pre-law; and Claire Vinskus, a first-year currently undeclared. The team is coordinated by Dr. Norris Feeney, Assistant Professor of Politics. Feeney typically leads courses in international relations and comparative politics while also regularly offering courses in the College’s Honors and First-Year Experience programs. The Catawba College Alumni Association is sponsoring this year’s team.
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 the Ethics Bowl. Students from 16 private college and university campuses across NC will participate.
“This is NCICU’s 12th annual Ethics Bowl, and the first in-person event since 2020,” said NCICU president Hope Williams. “The broad theme of Ethics in Contemporary Society presents timely and important topics for discussion. The Ethics Bowl is both academically challenging and an individually rewarding experience for our students.”
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.
The NCIC Ethics Bowl is made possible by sponsorships that allow students to participate at no cost to themselves or their institution.
North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU) is the statewide office for North Carolina’s 36 private, non-profit colleges and universities. NCICU supports, represents, and advocates for North Carolina independent higher education in the areas of state and federal public policy and on education issues with the other sectors of education in the state. It also raises funds through the Independent College Fund of North Carolina for student scholarships and enrichment experiences, provides research and information to and about private colleges and universities, conducts staff development opportunities and coordinates collaborative programs. For more information about NCICU, visit ncicu.org.
