F E A T U R E
Collaboration:
Ethics, St. Edward’s Austin
TAYLOR JONES
&
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By Stephanie Elsea
In recent years St. Edward’s University has experienced a quiet revolution. Long before ethics became a buzzword for business analysts and before paper shredders became accessories to white-collar crime, campus leaders at St. Edward’s University were planning to better serve students — future business leaders — by preparing them to think critically and to employ ethical practices in the workplace. The first step: development of a variety of programs, activities and curricula in ethics and moral reasoning. Phillip Thompson, director of the Center for Ethics and Leadership, says there are three basic phases to shaping ethical graduates. “First, you begin with classroom instruction. Then you expose students to businesses and mentors who incorporate ethics into their work. The final step is creating ethical habits. Once students have learned about and seen others doing the right things, it’s crucial that they are required to participate in some kind of experiential learning to create those good habits within their personal work styles.” As a small, private university, St. Edward’s has the flexibility to respond to and work with the local business community’s needs. “We enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with many Austin-area businesses,” said Thompson. “The companies provide us with the necessary mentors and internship opportunities, and in return, we are able to offer resources to help them develop ethics programs or to examine and refine existing programs.” Earlier this year, the Austin Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Care decided the time was right to launch the first business ethics awards in central Texas. The organization needed help researching nominees, so members