Randolph-Macon College placed 2nd in the 2018 Wells Fargo Ethics Bowl competition, held February 11-12, 2018 at Hampden-Sydney College. A program of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC), this year’s event featured 16 student teams from independent colleges and universities deliberating over case studies with ethical dilemmas related to Ethical Issues in a Multicultural Society.

Joshua Byrd ’20 (political science and economics major), Sean Gordon ’19 (political science major; ethics minor), Fidele Ntumba ’18 (economics and political science major; mathematics and accounting minor), and Kirby Struhar ’18 (political science major) represented Randolph-Macon College. Kelsey Wilkinson ’18 (political science and business major) is also a member of the team but was unable to participate in the competition due to a scheduling conflict. The team is led by Business Professor Edward Showalter and Political Science Professor and Dean of Academic Affairs Lauren Bell.

The teams presented their analyses, positions, and recommendations to panels of judges comprised of business, professional, and educational leaders from across Virginia and Maryland. Hampden-Sydney College’s student team won the championship and Batten Trophy. The Randolph-Macon College team competed against Hampden-Sydney College in the final round after capturing the Commonwealth Division title and was declared the runner-up.

In addition to the competitive portion of this two-day event, a dinner took place on February 11 to honor Roger H. Mudd for his vision and leadership as one of the founders of the Ethics Bowl and for his continued guidance over a 20-year span. The dinner raised funding for scholarships for VFIC students from underrepresented populations and it supported the Roger Mudd Ethics Bowl Endowment Fund.

The Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges
Founded in 1952, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges is a nonprofit fund-raising partnership supporting the programs and students of 15 leading independent colleges in the Commonwealth: Bridgewater College, Emory & Henry College, Hampden-Sydney College, Hollins University, Lynchburg College, Mary Baldwin University, Marymount University, Randolph College, Randolph-Macon College, Roanoke College, Shenandoah University, Sweet Briar College, University of Richmond, Virginia Wesleyan University and Washington and Lee University.

The Ethics Bowl was made possible by Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo (and predecessor Wachovia) has been the primary sponsor of the Ethics Bowl since 2002. Additional key support for the event was provided by Dominion Resources, A. Cherie & L. Peyton Humphrey, Moseley Architects, and Spider Management.