The Parr Center for Ethics has proudly served as Carolina’s focal point for inquiry into and discussion of ethical questions since 2004. The mission of the Parr Center is to nourish and foster ethical reflection and moral sensitivity on campus and beyond, guided by the conviction that ethics is everywhere. The Parr Center is committed to integrating abstract work in ethical theory with thoughtful, informed exploration of ethical issues important to the University and the communities it serves. The Parr Center is housed physically and administratively within UNC’s Department of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Parr Center sees ethical reflection as a pervasive element of human life that is relevant to all fields of endeavor and at all stages of the lifespan. In keeping with its dual mission to nourish and foster ethical reflection on campus and beyond, the Parr Center offers both i) a rich menu of programming aimed mainly at campus (University) constituencies, and ii) a range of activities designed to encourage and enhance ethical reflection by participants outside the University. In particular, the Parr Center:

• offers rewarding co-curricular programs for Carolina undergraduates;
• brings numerous renowned speakers to campus;
• produces and hosts the National High School Ethics Bowl program; and
• leads numerous ethics outreach activities across North Carolina.

The Parr Center and its programs have won the American Philosophical Association and Philosophy Documentation Center Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Philosophy Programs three times (in 2008, 2014, and 2021).