2023 Ethics Essay Contest winners announced

Emily Hogren, a sophomore from Port Byron, Ill., majoring in biology, is the winner of the 2023 Ethics Essay Contest for her paper, "The Commodification of Death: Chain Funeral Homes and Their Impact on Clients and Employees."

Dr. Dan Lee announced the winners on behalf of the board of directors of the Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics, sponsor of the contest. The winner will receive an award of $100, the second-place winner an award of $50, and the third-place winner an award of $25.

Second place: Ben Finkenbine, "The Ethics of Maquiladoras." Finkenbine is a senior from Dunlap, Ill., majoring in pre-medicine.

Third place: Zamzam Mohammed, "Environmentalism: Flint Michigan Water Crisis." Mohammed is a senior from Silvis, Ill., majoring in business administration with a marketing concentration.

Honorable mentions: Samantha Exner, "From Heparin to Xenotransplantation: Perspectives on Porcine Material in Medicine," and Henry Sothern, "The Right of Privacy & Confidentiality in Healthcare." Exner is a senior from Oswego, Ill., majoring in pre-medicine and Spanish for professional use. Sothern is a sophomore from Portland, Ore., majoring in sociology and anthropology.

The winning essays will be published in Augustana Digital Commons.

The Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics was established to enrich the teaching-learning experiences for students by providing greater opportunities for them to meet and interact with community leaders and to encourage discussions of issues of ethical significance through campus programs and community outreach.

Dr. Lee, whose teaching responsibilities since joining the Augustana faculty in 1974 have included courses in ethics, serves as the center’s director.