Students of all majors, ages and backgrounds gathered at the Ethics at the Beach workshop on Friday to hear about how the power of ethics can not only be used in the workplace, but in their personal lives as well.
The event came about as a way for The Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership, a branch under the College of Business Administration, to equip people with the transformational power of ethical leadership.
The Ukleja Center partners with the Associated Business Students Organization Council and Student Center for Professional Development to offer the annual ethics workshop.
Elizabeth Rodriguez, a senior business management and operations supply chain major and the chairperson of Ethics at The Beach, wanted for students to leave with a broader view on ethics.
“This event is for the whole school and for every major,” Rodriguez said. “We want to welcome everybody and make sure that they have the chance to take what they learn here, and apply it to their life.”
The event included two guest speakers, both professors at CSULB. The first speaker, Kathleen Lacey, is the faculty director for the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership. Her talk was titled “A Framework for Ethical Decision-Making.”
“Dr. Lacey talks more about the ethics of business and how it affects people in a company sense,” Rodriguez said.
Nubia Hernandez, a senior international business major who attended the event, spoke about how Lacey’s talk provided her with knowledge she could apply to her future job.
“As an international business major I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to deal with something like this in the future,” Hernandez said. “So it’s really helpful to learn the tips she’s teaching, particularly the SIMAC model.”
The SIMAC model is what Lacey says attendees can use as a framework for ethical decision-making. SIMAC stands for stakeholders, issues, models, application of models to facts of the case, conclusion and collaborative solution. Hernandez says this is useful information for students like her who are looking to navigate the business world in the future.
Alexandra Billings-Blankenship was the second speaker whose portion was titled, “Don’t Look. Leap.”
Billings is an actor, teacher and transgender activist. Her talk revolved around inspiring students to take matters into their own hands and cast away the pressures they place on themselves.
“Alexandra goes more into how different decisions shape who you are and affect your life,” Hernandez said. “The vibe completely changes in the room when she speaks. Students are excited to hear what she has to say.”
Together, both speakers provide a different aspect to the discussion on ethics.
“This event isn’t only about business or finance,” Hernandez said. “It’s about doing the right thing for others. It’s being ethical not only in your business life or workforce, but in your personal life as well.”
Billings left students with a powerful quote by Marianne Williamson, as the closing statement to the event, encouraging attendees to reevaluate themselves and who they want to be.
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,” Billings said. “Our greatest fear is that we our powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most surrounds us.”