2008 Ethics Bowl – Concordia University Comes Out on Top at Annual Competition

Published on Mar 10 2008 in Ethics Bowl, Press Release by

Students from Concordia University held on to win the 3rd Annual Ethics Bowl of the Oregon Independent College Foundation (OICF) on March 8, 2008. Defending champion, Willamette University was the runner-up, while strong teams from Warner Pacific College and University of Portland, were also close contenders.

Hosted by Lewis & Clark College, the 2008 OICF Ethics Bowl matched student teams from the OICF’s ten member colleges and universities in 5-rounds of case debates over a variety of contemporary ethical dilemmas. Teams of 3-5 students were paired in head-to-head team matches that were judged by panels of distinguished leaders from across the region who listened to team presentations and offered reactions to students. Mohan Nair, EVP & Chief Marketing Executive, The Regence Group; Sandra McDonough, President & CEO, Portland Business Alliance; and Christopher Folkestad, Executive Director, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, served as judges for the final debate between Concordia and Willamette.

Students grappled with real-world ethical questions that challenged their thinking on issues such as: is teaching to the test unethical or an effective way to ensure that school children are properly prepared with important facts that will help them in their academic careers and future life? Is it ethical to hold community voting in faith–based facilities (i.e., churches and schools)? Is it ethical for cell phone companies to offer a service to parents where they can track the location of their children at any given time? These were just a sampling of ethical dilemmas posed to more than 50 students.

“The Ethics Bowl allows many of Oregon’s brightest students to work with some of the region’s most respected business and community leaders,” said Mohan Nair, EVP & Chief Marketing Executive, The Regence Group and Chair of the OICF’s Ethics and Leadership Program Committee. “The Ethics Bowl is a fabulous event for Oregon’s ten leading private college and university students. Students are able to have in-depth discussions with business leaders that would rarely occur otherwise.”

Contact:
Kevin Matheny
President/CEO
503-496-3420
kevin@oicf.org