What is the Ethics Bowl?
The Ethics Bowl is a debate-style competition in which university teams respond to moral questions arising from current events. In each round, two teams are scored by a panel of judges on their responses to the questions and to each others' responses. The top four (out of 20) teams in each regional competition are invited to participate in the national bowl.
Who We Are
The USFSP Ethics & Debate Team is sponsored by the Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership. The mission of the Center is to prepare students for work and life by helping them develop good leadership skills and behaviors. We define good leadership as being both effective and ethical.
Why It Matters
"Fake news," discriminatory biases and unfounded accusations create moral ambiguity. In times like these, ethics is clarity. The Ethics Bowl calls students to a higher order of disucssion and reason, imparting onto them the skills of critical thinking, discernment and constructive debate. It gives them real-world practice on how to converse and think, without telling them what to believe.
Ethical decisions arise from ethical leaders. Therefore, it is critical to give leaders a forum for learning and practicing these skills using cases that contain the nuances and difficulties of the real world. There are not always "right" answers, but there are always good processes. Our students learn about these processes through the participation of this program. They develop skills that are transferable to all industries, sectors, careers and walks of life. They learn how to organize, present and defend an argument, analyze a real-world moral dilemma, discuss difficult issues with respect and build confidence in their leadership skills. Our team, inclusive of students from different majors and backgrounds, reaches all areas of the USFSP student body.
What Your Gifts Will Do
David and Lisa Hood have committed a lead donation of $5,000 to kick off this campaign. Now, they are challenging YOU to match their investment! Thanks to the generosity of their gift, the impact of your contribution will be even greater. David, a USF St. Petersburg alumnus, and his wife Lisa support the community alongside their wealth management advising office, Northwestern Mutual. Proceeds will support the continued development of the USFSP Ethics & Debate Team. Your gift will fund expenses related to travel, coaching and practice, competition fees and supplies for the team.
Steps to Make Your Impact
- Donate any dollar amount you see fit.
- Share this link on Facebook to maximize your impact!
Our team thanks you for your generosity and supporting ethics education for our future leaders!
Latest Updates
84% to Goal!
David O'Neill, Oct 19, 2018
We've reached 84% of our goal — thank you to everyone who has contributed so far! Only 11 days left! Here are digests of each of the 12 cases for which the students are preparing to argue at the 2018 Ethics Bowl. You can read the rest of the cases here.
Choose a giving level
$10
Tools of the Trade
Your donation of $10 helps provide crucial supplies for the Ethics & Debate Team.
$26
Formative Year
A gift of $26 represents the year that the Bishop Center was founded in 2006.
$60
Case in Point
Support the USFSP Ethics & Debate Team with a donation of $60 for the 60 total possible points per debate round.
$100
Working Smarter
Put in $100 as the students put in 100 hours of preparation before the Regional Ethics Bowl Competition.
$240
On the Road
Your gift of $240 represents the 240 miles the team will travel from USFSP to the University of North Florida.
$500
School of Thought
$500 provides half of the amount needed for a scholarship for one student to continue leadership and ethics education.
$
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