Ethics and Leadership Internship

The need for ethics-focused professional development exists across all fields of professional life and study. Yet, opportunities to reflect on the ethical lessons or challenges interns face are nonexistent. As such, the Ethics and Leadership Initiative of the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community proposed an Internship Program dedicated to Ethics-Focused Placements across a variety of professional fields with a parallel curricular component that will allow the interns the space to reflect on and the expertise necessary to meet the ethical challenges of their future professional lives.

During Summer 2022, the initiative piloted the internship program. Students worked to develop the professional skills foundational to their internship site, with particular attention to the ethical dimensions of that work. The Director of the Ethics and Leadership Initiative, with the support of a Graduate Assistant, led collaborative coursework and mentorship that ran parallel to the internship experience. This curricular piece included a week-long, intensive “Ethics Bootcamp” and weekly meetings with the interns, Director and G.A., culminating in this final Symposium in which students have the opportunity to present essays and posters reflecting on what they have gained from the experience.

Each of our first two cohorts consisted of 13 interns, ranging from rising sophomores to seniors. The cohorts have included 15 students from the College of Arts and Sciences, three from the School of Engineering, six from the School of Education and Health Sciences and two from the School of Business Administration. 

Most of our partners have been non-profits local to the City of Dayton and surrounding region. Partners include the Dayton Mayor’s Office, ThinkTV, and Adventure Central (a collaboration between Five Rivers Metropark and The Ohio State University).

For more information, please email ELI@udayton.edu