For the second consecutive year, Queens University of Charlotte won the statewide Ethics Bowl, an annual event organized by North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU). The event was held in early February at the North Carolina Legislative Complex in Raleigh. Queens prevailed over Montreat College in the finals.

“Witnessing our team perform and compete at the 13th Annual Ethics Bowl was truly inspiring,” said Dan Lugo, president of Queens University. “We are incredibly proud of them, and the entire Queens Community celebrates their NCICU Championship victory!”

Eighteen teams from NCICU campuses participated in the competition. The 2024 theme was, “Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.” Students were tasked with reviewing several complicated cases involving both artificial intelligence and cybersecurity and making arguments about their position on the cases.

“This year’s teams were exceptional,” said NCICU President Hope Williams. “It was clear they had done extensive research on the complex topics and developed well-organized, cohesive arguments to present to the judges. I was very impressed with all the teams.”

Williams believes it provides unique, important opportunities for the students. “By participating in the Ethics Bowl, students learn research and presentation skills that will serve them well in their careers,” Williams said.

More than 70 professionals volunteered their time as judges or moderators representing a wide array of careers and networking opportunities.

Clark Dudek, a Triangle entrepreneur and AI expert, was the keynote speaker. He discussed how society has adapted to emerging technologies. “AI is new and may be scary,” he said. “But we are working on how to connect with this new tool and learn how it can complement the rest of our tools.”