Ethics Month Recognition Held in October

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Posted on November 18, 2025 by Amanda Akey

Amanda Akey

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In October, the Mitchell College of Business recognized Ethics Month. Throughout the month the college and student organizations hosted a wide variety of activities and events that promote ethical awareness, critical thinking and responsible leadership among our students, faculty and community stakeholders.

The month kicked off with a movie night featuring the documentary film, “ENRON - The Smartest Guys In The Room.” Held in the Mitchell College of Business Library, students enjoyed traditional movie snacks while learning about the ENRON corporation, their faulty and corrupt business practices that led to its downfall and the resulting laws that now govern accounting practices in the United States.

The month continued with two executive speakers who spoke on leadership and ethics in business. First, Amanda Senn, Director of the Alabama Securities Commission, spoke about the work that the securities commission does to license industry professionals and ensure ethical practices in the state of Alabama. The students also had the opportunity to hear from a diverse panel of business professionals that included University of South Alabama alumni and community leaders. The panelists responded to questions about leadership, ethics and the ever-evolving world of business. Over 250 students participated across the two events. 

The penultimate event of Ethics Month was the Ethics Case Study Competition. Students were encouraged to assemble teams to respond to a case study centered on NonoTech Solutions, a fictitious company facing a critical decision about monetizing user data versus protecting customer privacy. The case challenged the teams to apply ethical frameworks, balance profit and responsibility and present solutions that reflected integrity, transparency, and sound business judgment. Each team presented their perspective and answered follow-up questions by the team of judges. 

FIRST PLACE

• Patrick Brown, Captain
• Rhea Arya
• Brice Coates
• Riley Mitchell

SECOND PLACE

• Bryce Smith, Captain
• Jess Akers
• Jordan Foshee
• Ari Montano

THIRD PLACE

• Joi Williams, Captain
• Kayla Anderson
• Allyson Poore
• Arianna Robinson

A note of appreciation for our competition judges:

Marcelle R. Naman, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor,  Department of Management & Entrepreneurship)

Thomas Nelson, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Department of Management & Entrepreneurship)

Shanita L. Pettaway, J.D., Ph.D. (Pre-Law Advisor & Faculty Member, Department of Political Science & Criminal Justice)

And a special thank you to Jay Stubbs, a member of the Mitchell College Management Advisory Board and Risk Manager Director for Providence Partners, who sponsored the prizes for the competition. 

The Mitchell College celebrates another highly successful October dedicated to fostering integrity and responsible decision-making. From the compelling insights of the "ENRON" documentary and the practical wisdom shared by executive speakers, to the rigorous application of ethical frameworks in the Ethics Case Study Competition, the month's events reaffirmed our commitment to producing business leaders with strong moral compasses. None of this would be possible without the dedication of professor Jay Hunt, who champions this vital awareness month. Hunt has also helped found the Mitchell College Ethics Club, now a student chapter of the Center for Public Trust, ensuring the conversation around ethical business practices continues year-round. We applauded his organizational efforts and look forward to recognizing Ethics Month next October!

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