Campbell University’s religion majors, Jason Horrell, Libby Austin, Brandon White and Ryan Fitzgerald, competed in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Ethics Bowl in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007. It was their first entry into this event, a nationwide competition among undergraduate students who are given cases to review and have ethical debates about the cases. The Campbell team placed 3rd out of 14 teams in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Ethics Bowl which qualifies them to continue on to the National Bowl in San Antonio, TX in February. Dr. Adam English, assistant professor of religion, heard about the competition and recruited members from the religion major honor society, Theta Alpha Kappa, to participate. Dr. Ken Vandergriff, adjunct professor, also helped coach the team.”When the announcement was made that Campbell had placed there was incredible excitement,” said Vandergriff. “These four students were giddy and the excitement was visible.”Since it was the team’s first time in the competition, they didn’t know what to expect. They were given 15 cases to review. They spent time practicing how they would debate the ethical issues from the cases they were given.”For the National Bowl we will prepare more and organize our responses,” said Austin.English couldn’t be prouder of the team.”These students have not had debate training and not all of them have even taken an ethics course,” he said. “They earned their placement with their raw, natural charisma and intelligence.”The students are very excited to go to Texas because they have never visited the state and plan to do their best against the 32 other teams in nationals.Photo Copy: Campbell religion majors participate in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Ethics Bowl. From left, Ryan Fitzgerald, Libby Austin, professor and Coach Dr. Ken Vandergriff, Jason Horrell and Brandon White.
Campbell religion majors participate in ethics bowl