Fellowship Program
Parr Center Undergraduate Fellows
The Parr Center Undergraduate Fellowship is a selective co-curricular program for which students are chosen on the basis of a written application and a personal interview with Parr Center staff. Criteria for selection are the student’s interest in deepening their ethical competencies through co-curricular enhancement and their likely contribution to team-based and project-based ethical learning.
Fellows are expected to complete weekly work, attend weekly group meetings, attend bimonthly evening meetings, partake in two social events each semester, attend two Parr Center events each semester, and volunteer at the North Carolina and National High School Ethics Bowl competitions. These requirements take roughly 85 hours annually.
At the Full-day Orientation, students self-select which project they would like to work on for the year. Fellows may choose only one project and typically stay with that group for the entire year. Each group is lead by one Executive Member, a returning fellow who will lead the group throughout the year.
(Currently Virtual) Group Meeting: Groups are required to meet for a minimum of 30 minutes each school week to discuss updates, progress, and issues with their project. Fellows decide the time and day of the week for their meetings.
(Currently Remote) Project Work: Fellows must complete at least 1 hour of work on their project outside of their weekly meeting. This can be completed with others or as a sole activity.
Fellows are required to attend two (now virtual) evening meetings each month. Fellow-focused lectures are presented by scholars across campus at these meetings. Evening meeting dates and times are decided by the availability of a majority of our Fellows. Those who cannot attend may be excused by providing proof of a conflicting course, professor-led study session or make up exam, or a doctor’s note.
Fall – (Virtual in 2020)
Induction Ceremony: At the ceremony, all Fellows are welcomed into the program, given a chance to introduce themselves to others, and partake in a large group picture. This event typically takes place on the Friday evening of Parent’s Weekend.
Full-day Orientation: Soon after the Induction Ceremony, Fellows are whisked away to a day of learning and fun at the Full-day Orientation. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the rules, requirements, and expectations of the Parr Center Undergraduate Fellowship. Additionally, students self-select their year-long project group and begin mapping out their overarching goals. Finally, students engage in a wide range of ice breakers, conversations, and games to begin our work in creating a healthy and productive community.
Spring
Fellow Mixer: In Mid-March undergraduate and graduate Fellows of the Parr Center come together for a special lecture followed by an informal game night. This provides undergraduates an opportunity to form working relationships with graduate students studying ethics.
End of the Year Celebration & Poster Show: During the last week of classes in the Spring Fellows partake in a celebratory event to send off graduating seniors and international students who are returning to their home institutions. Directly following the celebration, Fellows host a public poster show to showcase the projects they completed during the academic year.
The Parr Center for Ethics hosts 15+ public lectures each academic year. Lectures include the lunchtime Ethics Around the Table series and evening events such as Parr Center Presents, Parr | Bioethics Joint Lectures, and the Parr Center Forum. Fellows are required to attend a minimum of two Parr Center public lectures events each semester. To see our upcoming events visit our events calendar! Fall 2020 events will be held virtually.
The Parr Center for Ethics is the home for the National High School Ethics Bowl. Each Spring semester the Parr Center hosts the North Carolina Regional competition and the National competition. All Fellows are trained to moderate competition rounds, serve as help points for visitors, and provide general help during the competitions. Each Fellow is required to moderate and/or provide general volunteer support during both the one-day Regional competition and the weekend-long National competition.
Students returning as Fellows for 2020-2021 will be uploaded soon. Watch this space for updates!
Each Fall, Fellows self-divide into small groups (5-7 students) to work on year-long ethics projects. Each link below showcases work from a specific group for the indicated year. Projects vary from year to year depending on the interests of our Fellows.
Artwork by Will Applewhite