Ethics Essay Contest winners announced

Finley Snyder, a sophomore from Rockford, Ill., is the winner of the 2026 Ethics Essay Contest. Snyder, a history and religion major, entitled the winning work, “Deportation and Death: Examining the Second Trump Administration’s Immigration Policy Through the Lens of Just War Theory.”

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: Georgi Feigley, “Pacifism and Negligence in Our Modern Era Ignoring Crises for ‘It Being Political.’” Feigley is a senior from Rock Island majoring in French and vocal music performance.

Third place: Brian Felleson, “Exceptional by Design: How American Identity Shapes Global Power and Prosperity.” Felleson is a senior from Fox River Grove, Ill., majoring in accounting and business administration and finance.

Honorable mention: Primo Moreno, “Ethical Issues in the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence." Moreno is a junior from Galesburg, Ill., majoring in computer science, data science, and applied mathematics.

Honorable mention: Traidan Hier, “Materialism: What Do We Lose by Focusing on Having More?” Hier is a senior from Kewanee, Ill., majoring in political science.

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 included courses in ethics, serves as the center’s director.