On Monday, February 20th, Penn State Wilkes-Barre welcomed Robert Smith, Director of the Center for Ethics & Religious Affairs at Penn State, who presented "Making Ethical Decisions" to students, faculty and staff.
"Student Affairs viewed the painful events that rocked our University in the fall as an opportunity to stage learning modules that would foster reflection and broaden knowledge outside the classroom," explains Director of Student Affairs, Kathie Flanagan-Herstek. "Obviously, one of the key questions is ethics. Bob Smith's program, 'Making Ethical Decisions: What Would You Do?' was an ideal component to the series we have been hosting."
What you do in a given situation can be very different from what someone else may do, yet you each probably believe your decision to be ethical. So why is there a difference, and who is right? "Making Ethical Decisions," a program that began by taking a look at the process most of us use to make decisions, introduced a four-step method (R.O.A.R.), designed to help make ethically sound decisions and to make this process happen automatically.
"'Making Ethical Decisions' was packed with information that I think is essential to becoming a successful professional in today's global job market," says Lion Ambassador President and sophomore Health and Policy Administration major, David Ridner. "I believe that the current generation is under-educated on how to make ethical decisions, and may not know where to seek education on such a topic. I especially thought the R.O.A.R. process gave a concise and effective way to deal with making the best decision in everyday life as well as in the workplace."
Bob is currently in his sixth year as the Director of the Center for Ethics & Religious Affairs, which is housed in the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center/Eisenhower Chapel in State College. Bob and his family relocated to central Pennsylvania after spending 12 years in New York where he worked as a psychiatric social worker with individuals and families affected by mental illness. Bob is a graduate of Mansfield University, Elmira College, and Lock Haven University and has received additional training through Cornell University. He has been a featured speaker at regional and national conferences and is often called upon to offer advice and insight into religion and ethics in higher education.
