Receiving an education at the Daniels College of Business not only involves gaining a holistic undergraduate business portfolio, but also applying that knowledge to important social causes. The mission statement of the Daniels College of Business is “pioneering business for the public good.” As a senior marketing major, so many of my classes have been based on providing solutions for the public good, but nothing compares to the impact I have made as a Daniels Ethics Fellow.
The Fellowship requires two 2-credit courses, where my classmates and I (usually around 30 people) work throughout the quarter to successfully implement an ethics-based event for a specific audience. These classes are sponsored by the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, an organization that drives principle-based ethics education through partnerships with universities across the southwest. The initiative is based on Bill Daniels, who was an innovator, entrepreneur, and hard-working professional that brought the cable TV industry to Wyoming and used his investments to support causes that inspired him. In 1989, he presented the University of Denver with a challenge grant to update its business curriculum to incorporate ethics, which was accepted. Hence, the majority of my education has been based on 8 principles initiated by Bill Daniels: integrity, trust, accountability, transparency, fairness, respect, rule of law, and viability.
Bill Daniels speaking at DU
On Friday, November 1, these principles came to life for me in the most intimate way. Every fall quarter, the Ethics Fellows class is required to bring 200 high school students from low-income communities onto DU’s campus to show them opportunities that exist after high school. Studies show that high school students are 90% more likely to attend college after visiting one before their secondary graduation. Eight weeks of hard work were required to make this event possible, and it definitely paid off. For no cost, our attendees were able to attend mock lectures given by some of the University’s most renowned professors, attend a hockey game, listen to motivational speakers, have dinner, receive some DU swag, get a tour of campus, and receive basic information about financial aid and applying to college. It was an incredible experience to watch these students realize that college was a legitimate possibility for them and to help serve as mentors to guide them through that process.
This event took an unbelievable amount of planning: from risk management, to parking logistics, to meeting our budget, to ordering enough food, to getting swag here on time, to making sure enough attendees came, our hands were full. Imagine this: your professor brings 30 of the most qualified, motivated, and intelligent Daniels students to one room, tells them they have 2.5 months to pull this event off, and then walks out. That first class is always chaos. Hastily, groups are formed, no one has clear direction of what needs to be done next, and students are yelling over each other trying to get all the others to listen (yes, that’s usually me, and no, it never works). Then the next 2 months are filled with anticipation, teamwork, letdowns, struggle, and stress. I always learn the most about myself during those 2 months.
I learned that being a leader isn’t about getting people to do what you want them to do, but finding a way to inspire them to care. I learned that trust is the most important component of collaboration. I learned that my way isn’t always the best way. I learned that different people have different strengths and it’s important to capitalize on those competencies and skills. I learned to fail. I learned that my college education is about so much more than a grade, or a degree, or even a university—it’s about personal growth, making connections, and discovering how I can best make an impact on the world.
The build-up to the event was like the anticipation before a big race, or knowing that you’ll receive a rejection or acceptance letter from your dream school in the next few days. I could hardly sleep the week before. I was equally so excited and terrified that it would all go wrong. I kept running over the event schedule in my head, thinking about where my 30 classmates would be at each second, my mind going in circles… To be honest, the event itself was anticlimactic. It went as smoothly as possible, almost everything was perfect. When the day ended, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders, but that relieved weight left me feeling almost naked and vulnerable. It was at that point that I understood that this entire class hadn’t been about that day at all - it had been about the journey and the friendships I made throughout the process. Yes, helping these kids realize the potentiality of their futures was an indescribable experience, but that feeling would have meant nothing if it wasn’t for the hours, tears, and support that had gotten me to the event in the first place.
Bonding with Fellows
So, if you’re looking to take a class that provides true meaning and impact, the University of Denver Ethics Fellows is incomparable. Oh, and did I mention? The class is available for all students, not just business majors. From biology students to international studies students to finance majors—this class is all about togetherness and a raw hope for our future.
Ericka Bremer - Class of 2020; Major: Marketing; Minors: Sustainability and Public Policy