Dr. Raymond Carman, Political Science Fellow, Fall 2020:
“The experience was quite beneficial. It would have taken much longer for me to create
a project on such a vitally important and ever-timely topic without this fellowship.
I would not have had the ready-made audience to share my goal, offer suggestions,
and help me refine my thinking. I also would not have had the benefit of the input
of the director and my peer fellows.”
Dr. Liou Xie, Center for Earth and Environmental Science Fellow, Spring 2019:
“Overall, I would like to rate my experience as a Fellow “extraordinary”. It has been
way more than just beneficial. The guided seminars were extremely helpful in term
of introducing me into the thinking of ethics, virtues, and principles. I would not
have felt embedded deeply in this line of thinking without these. Also, the weekly
colloquy every Wednesday was extremely enjoyable for me. Such events not only bring
in a lot of most recent work in the field of ethics and its contemporary applications,
they also quickly built a community for me, getting to know so many active community
members who have been working in this field and happy to share their best findings.
The open environment for discussion on these colloquies has been very beneficial.”
Dr. Richard Gottschall, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Fellow, Fall 2018:
“I had an excellent experience at the Ethics Institute. I think that the timing of
this experience in my academic career was just right. Much of the reading was very
new to me. It was also an excellent experience to interact with more senior academics
and campus leaders who set an excellent example for further career growth.”
Dr. Jessamyn Neuhaus, History Department Fellow, Spring 2007
“My experience as a Fellow was simply wonderful: intellectually stimulating, academically
productive, and personally fulfilling. Especially beneficial was the opportunity to
meet so many other members of college community, across disciplines and programs.
The Ethics Institute does an amazing job of fostering a flourishing intellectual community
at SUNY Plattsburgh and it was truly delightful to become an active member of that
community.”
Dr. Margaret Morrow, Mathematics Department Fellow, Fall 2006
“The experience was outstanding. I deeply value the opportunity to reflect deeply
on the complexity of ethical behavior. The opportunity to engage in philosophical
discussion with thoughtful and idealistic faculty members was truly priceless.”
Dr. Jin Kim, Professor of Communications Fellow, Fall 2005
“My time at the Institute has been described (to numerous colleagues) as one of the
most, if not the most, professionally rewarding experiences that I have had on this
campus during my 22-year tenure. The quality of scholarly discussions was something
that rarely has happened in our academic unit. Many times the level of intellectual
engagement reached that of a professional conference but at much more supportive levels
of collegiality and personal comfort due to the fact that it was not a transient community
of scholars. The breadth of discussion topics, both at the formal seminars and informal
discussion sessions on "the other two days" of the weekly schedule, was equally beneficial
as it offered a scholarly exchange different from the ones that a faculty member normally
experiences in one’s own academic unit. Interdisciplinary in nature, the discussions
provided much-needed stimuli for me to re-evaluate the meaning of scholarly engagement
in my own department. It also made me realize that even at the college level, we do
not have forums or lecture series that would seem to guarantee the same quality inter-disciplinary
exchanges of ideas and interactions through which a mutual intellectual growth can
be nurtured. It was indeed the most satisfying and unique experience I have had in
my entire higher-education career.”
Dr. Jon Gottschall, Professor of Political Science Fellow, Fall 2005
“It is the best faculty development opportunity I have ever encountered. The primary
benefit, perhaps especially valuable to older colleagues, is the fundamental rethinking
of what one has been engaged in as a teacher and a scholar....This is a special experience,
one nearly unique to Plattsburgh and the basic concept and format is so sound that
people who come here to learn and to change will not fail to do so.”
Dr. Robert Cabin, Assistant Professor of Biology Fellow, Spring 2005
“My experience as a Fellow has been fantastic. This fellowship afforded me a tremendous
learning experience--I never would have had the time, motivation, and ability to tackle
and absorb this material on my own! Equally if not more importantly, I felt like I
was a part of a vibrant intellectual community. I consistently found our formal and
informal discussions fascinating, provocative, stimulating, and inspiring. I also
found our discussions of the joys and frustrations of teaching at Plattsburgh to be
enormously enlightening and supportive... I’d just like to say a heartfelt "thanks"
to everyone at the Institute for creating a wonderful opportunity for interested faculty
to meet, bond, and discuss some of the most important yet too often neglected issues
of our profession.”
Ms. Holly Heller-Ross, Associate Librarian Fellow, Fall 2003
“I must tell you that I have relished this experience like few others in my academic
work! It has had an effect like that of pouring water on a thirsty soul that had not
even known that it was thirsting. And I say soul instead of mind because this has
not been a purely intellectual experience of discussion ethical theories, but a holistic
one of challenging intellectual scope, reflective physical space and sanctuary, and
emotional encouragement, camaraderie, and fellowship. It has been fierce and it has
been fun. I could write this in a personal note to you, but I want it part of a more
public record, this fellowship experience is certainly more than an introduction to
ethics in public life...it is an example of ethical practice in institutional faculty
development.”
Dr. Jennifer Scanlon Director, Women’s Studies Program And Professor of History Fellow,
Fall 2000
“My participation in the Institute was enormously beneficial to me. The rich interchange
of ideas and approaches to teaching and to intellectual discourse was both enlightening
and inspiring. I enjoyed the weekly meetings and looked forward to hearing the very
approaches to teaching and ethical issues provided by colleagues. I also had the opportunity,
which is far too rare in our work, take the time to think about what I’m doing in
the classroom and why... The Institute for Ethics in Public Life provides an extraordinary
opportunity for faculty to engage with each other in a respectful, inspiring, interdisciplinary
environment.”
Dr. Douglas Skopp University Distinguished Professor of History Fellow, Fall 1999
“As a founding fellow and now, thanks to the FIPSE grant, an active participant/discussant
and occasional presenter in our weekly faculty seminars, I have benefited enormously
from the high intellectual plane of our weekly meetings, our readings and the on-going
work of the Institute. The institute has become the intellectual dynamo of the campus,
energizing not just the present fellows but all of us who have been fortunate to work
there. This can be measured in scholarly activity, in interdisciplinary awareness,
and especially in our teaching. In my case, it has helped me clarify and sharpen my
focus in teaching the history of seminal periods and junctures when ethical decisions
were (or, more often, were not) made. This has given my students’ insights into responsible
(and irresponsible) decision-making and the ensuing consequences. To my mind, historical
study and analysis must center on the necessity for ethical choices. Indeed, that
is the greatest lesson we can learn from the past. The Institute has become the platform
from which I view, interpret and attempt to fulfill my professional responsibilities
as an historian.”