One of North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) celebrates another first during Black History Month. Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) proudly announces its groundbreaking achievement as the first HBCU to reach the semifinals of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) Ethics Bowl.

“This achievement is a testament to our students’ unwavering dedication and intellectual prowess,” said SAU Interim President Dr. Marcus H. Burgess. “SAU’s success in the Ethics Bowl underscores our commitment to excellence and innovation in higher education. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire SAU community, Fidelity Investments for their generous sponsorship, and our mentors and supporters for their unwavering encouragement and belief in our students.”

The historic milestone was realized on February 10th, 2024, as the SAU team, comprised of Karly Heavens Gerome, Naiylah Archer, and Noah Wheeler, under the mentorship and coordination of Dr. Shirlkeymu L. Winston, advanced to the semifinals of the renowned annual competition organized by NCICU. This historic feat is significant for SAU and the entire HBCU community.

“This remarkable feat is a testament to the unwavering dedication, passion, and relentless pursuit of excellence exhibited by each team member,” said SAU Assistant Professor of History Dr. Shirlkeymu L. Winston in a Facebook Post. “As we celebrate this milestone, let us not forget the invaluable contributions of the previous team members, whose sacrifices laid the foundation for this remarkable achievement.”

The team engaged in thought-provoking discussions on the theme “Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity,” leveraging their expertise to envision the future of societies in the age of AI and its far-reaching consequences and possibilities. Their rigorous intellectual exercise involved supporting their assertions with actual events, statistical data, and ethical terminologies such as “Consequentialism” and “Deontology.”

“This exercise has proven pivotal in reshaping our overall perspective on #artificialintelligence,” said SAU freshman Karly Heavens Gerome in a LinkedIn post. “We went even further by envisioning the future of societies in the age of #AI. We extended our contemplation to the far-reaching consequences and possibilities.”

The NCICU Ethics Bowl is an annual competition in which student teams from our campuses address ethical issues by responding to case studies around a specific theme. The Ethics Bowl offers an academic experience that increases awareness and discourse about applying ethics in leadership, decision-making, interpersonal relations, and various societal issues today.

“Students consistently cite the NCICU Ethics Bowl as a highlight of their college experience,” said A. Hope Williams, NCICU President, in a statement. “We deeply appreciate the corporate and civic leaders who make this event possible through financial contributions and by volunteering their time as judges and moderators.”

Click here to learn more about the 2024 NCICU Ethics Bowl.