In their best finish to date, Samford University's 2012 Ethics Bowl team placed second in the Southeast Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl competition Nov. 10 in Tampa, Fla., an incredible accomplishment for the young team.
Sponsored by the Samford University Fellows Program, the team's performance qualifies them for the 17th Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, the national tournament to be held Feb. 28 in San Antonio Texas.
Team members include Josh Brandl, senior mathematics major from Cordova, Tenn.' Even Elmore, senior mathematics major from Germantown, Tenn. ; Annie Kraus, senior English major from Vestavia Hills, Ala.; Nathan Smolin, senior classics major from Homewood, Ala.; and Wes Spears, senior religion major from Franklin, Tenn.
The team first formed four years ago, and inaugural members like Brandl are encouraged by the accomplishments the team has made.
"It has been encouraging to watch our improvement over the past four years," Brandl said. "We go to competitions and are recognized as contenders. Other teams get nervous when they see Samford on their line-up."
Coached by professors Wilton Bunch and Mike Janas, the team works to understand and articulate ethical issues like plagiarism and drug legalization .
"This year's team is very knowledgeable about ethics and some areas of public policy," Bunch said. "They know how to prepare and, thanks to Mike Janas, how to debate effectively."
Sarah Waller is a journalism and mass communication major and a writer in the Office of Marketing and Communication.
