Update From a Former Student Ethics Office President

Ethics Resource Center 2004
Katlyn Donohue

Once again, in the mist of the steamy summer months, I find myself in the cool refuge of the Ethics Resource Center. The rest of my friends are life guarding, working in department stores, or waiting tables. While all noble professions, it seems that few of my peers are working jobs they plan to make into careers. Those with internships are frustrated by the lack of "real life work" that they actually get to do. I feel privileged to find myself back at the ERC this summer and to get my hands deep into projects that I really care about.

I worked at the Ethics Resource Center last summer as an intern in the Character Development department. It was my first real job working in an office. Everything was initially intimidating, but I learned my way around, and was able to contribute by writing MAXIMize the Moment, and helping to draft the Student Ethics Office Manual. It was amazing to me that I was able to produce something tangible--resources that were going to be used by teachers and students across the country. Katie Sutliff and I discussed starting a Student Fellows Program- a meeting modeled on the ERC Fellows, where Student Ethics Officers could come and share their thoughts, problems, and solutions for Student Ethics Offices- which would be planned throughout the year, and occur the following summer.

In the fall, I arrived for my first semester at Mary Washington College. Orientation week was packed with information for the students, but the big message that I took away was the importance of the honor system on campus. The new freshman were feeling-out the upperclassmen orientation leaders and student leaders that were there during the week as to whether or not this code of academic and social life was actually abided by. Sure enough, it was demonstrated through the attitudes of all of the students and faculty. The honor system is a way of life. Going beyond the standard upheld by the students who do not cheat on exams or steal laptops from the library, I wanted to help be a bigger part of the organization that fostered the ethical ideals of the community.

I decided to run and was elected to a position on the Judicial Review Board. The Judicial Review Board deals with all issues relating to community values and addressing incidents of administrative rule breaking as well. This position gave me the chance to get to know the judicial system on campus, to help my peers, and to serve a role model of the behavior I loved in the students on campus. It also was a little change to see ethics from the compliance side. I cherished the year that I served in my position, putting on activities on campus, as well as listening to the pleas of students in order to determine their responsibility or non-responsibility of actions they were accused of. It taught me to think critically and judge others fairly. The Board is respected by the Student Body because of the way it is run. People also know that we are real people who deal with the same issues that they do every day. Additionally, we can be a source of information about the consequences of common actions. I was re-elected, and will be serving again during the 2004- 2005 academic year.

This past school year was fun and educational (as it should be), but, as it wrapped up, I was happy to know I would be returning to the ERC. This summer I finished off the MAXIMize lessons for the year and will be revising the Student Ethics Office Manual into separate teacher and student friendly issues, as well as developing the SEO Tool kit. I am glad to try new things as well. I will see my dream of the Student Fellows come to life this July. I anticipate good things from the students attending and hope it is a learning experience for me as well.  I hope and have faith that, together, we will find ways to suit the needs of the SEOs in the future. Of course, there will be a variety of other tasks I will undertake during the rest of the summer, but I am most excited about the big ones. I am grateful for the chance to have an internship where I am learning, as well as contributing to a cause and organization that I believe in.