YSU Ethics Bowl Team wins Central States Regional Championship
The Youngstown State University Ethics Bowl Team secured first place at the 2024 Central States Regional Ethics Bowl, held at Marion University in Indianapolis, Indianna. This victory marks the team's seventh regional title in its 10-year history of competing in the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl.
The YSU team made a strong showing, overcoming tough competition from 24 other institutions, including the University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, the University of Chicago and DePauw University.
“We are extremely proud of our team’s performance,” said Alan Tomhave, Associate Dean and Professor of Philosophy at YSU. “This victory is a testament to the students’ hard work and preparation, and the support they received from our dedicated faculty.”
The team now shifts its focus to preparation for the 2024 National Ethics Bowl, set to take place on February 22-23 in Norfolk, Virginia. The competition will be hosted by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.
The YSU Ethics Bowl Team consists of two competition teams, with Team 1 (Champions) being composed of:
- Jordan Pintar, Philosophy major
- Sofia Myers, Communication and Political Science double major
- Peyton Hodge, Philosophy and Anthropology double major
- Brandon Tabak, Philosophy and Political Science double major
- Chloe Panei, Philosophy and Political Science major (Panei helped with preparation but did not travel to Regionals.)
Team 2 includes:
- Noel Shackelford, Education major
- Chase Dedomenic, Philosophy and Political Science double major
- Nikechi Onunwor, Finance major
- Michael Sattler, Nursing major
- Connor Hilton, Finance major
- Hunter Barnett, Philosophy and History double major
- Jack Kovacs, Philosophy major
YSU’s Ethics Bowl team is coached by Mark Vopat, distinguished professor of Philosophy, director of the Dr. James Dale Ethics Center and Dr. James Dale, Philosophy Program Coordinator and Pre-Law Advisor, as well as Tomhave.
“We are deeply grateful to all of the faculty, staff and community volunteers who contributed their time and expertise to help prepare our students for this event,” said Vopat. “This win is a collective achievement that reflects the strength of our university community.”
Ethics Bowl is a collaborative experience for undergraduate students that provides educational experience in practical and professional ethics. Teams spend hours analyzing and preparing for regional and national competitions to see who has thought most deeply and presented their arguments most clearly on cases based on today's most pressing issues. Students develop ethical understanding of complex, ambiguous and difficult to resolve issues, as well as key virtues associated with democratic deliberation.