Cabrillo College’s Ethics Bowl team has qualified to compete in the 2025 Association for Practical and Professional Ethics Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl National Competition in Norfolk, Virginia, in February.
At the California Regional Competition at Stanford in December, four of the 27 teams competing advanced to the National Competition.
Cabrillo College was the only community college team to compete against teams from four-year universities including UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Riverside, San Diego State University, and San Jose State University.
Cabrillo College Ethics Bowl qualifying team at semifinals (from left) — Starr Wenn, Kade Boe, Elektra Shrader, Elena Houle, and Olivia McCloskey. In the background is Michael Jordan, Cabrillo College instructor, moderating.
Cabrillo was one of only three teams to win all of their first three rounds, advancing to the semi-finals and earning their spot to compete in the National Competition.
From among the top teams at 12 regionals, only 36 teams were selected to compete in the National Competition.
Cabrillo entered two teams in the regionals. The second Cabrillo team had two wins and one narrow loss to UCLA, finishing in 11th place.
“What makes both teams’ success even more remarkable, is that these are first- and second-year students who were competing against teams from other colleges and universities, that were composed mostly of juniors and seniors,” said Claudia Close, Cabrillo ethics instructor and Ethics Bowl faculty advisor. “Throughout the competition, the Cabrillo students were poised and professional, demonstrating exemplary teamwork and good sportsmanship.”
Student teams research, analyze, and construct arguments defending their assessment of the significant moral issues involved in current social, legislative, medical, business, and general interest cases.
“The preparation for the Ethics Bowl is not for the faint of heart,” said 2024-2025 Cabrillo Ethics Bowl team member Olivia McCloskey. “It had us spending hours each day meeting, and studying cases, studying different types of ethical theory, and prepping each specific case. We would use our time discussing our own thoughts surrounding each case, and then doing mock trials to formulate proper arguments. We would spend at least five hours on Thursdays together in the library, debating and pushing each team to be the best they could be. Our team did Zoom meetings nightly, finding time to fit into everyone’s schedules to prepare for our Thursday mocks.”
Students must demonstrate that they have considered the facts of the case, comprehend and can articulate the underlying relevant ethical principles, defend their claims about how the case should be resolved, and answer challenges to their arguments put forward by the opposing side and the three judges.
In each round two cases are considered, and the students do not know which of the 12 cases they have prepared will be the focus, nor do they know what the question will be. The team presents their argument, responds to the opposing team’s objections, then must respond to the judges’ questions.
In the second half of the round, the opposing team will present on a different case, and the team which presented first must then raise certain points about that presentation. This requires extensive knowledge of the case and the ethical theories, as well as the ability to think quickly and work nimbly with teammates.
For the National Competition, teams will be given a unique set of 17 cases for which they will have less than two months to prepare.
Cases will include questions about space weaponization, parental rights and responsibilities, security issues around automotive tracking devices and doorbell cameras, tipping culture, hostile architecture, and how to tackle food waste.
Teams compete in four rounds over two days to qualify for the semifinals and finals.
“I am excited to delve into the ethical dilemmas presented in the new cases and to continue working with my team,” said Emma Spath, 2024-2025 Cabrillo Ethics Bowl team member. “We have fostered a strong sense of community, and I look forward to the spirited discussions and collaborative efforts that come with preparing for the national competition. Additionally, I am eager to meet peers from across the country who have similarly dedicated themselves to this process and to engage in collegial conversations born from weeks of hard work and thoughtful preparation.”
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TOP PHOTO: Cabrillo College Ethics Bowl teams (standing from left) — Elektra Shrader, Starr Wenn, Kade Boe, Elena Houle, Olivia McCloskey, Beau Chilson, Texas Young-Shadis, Ashlyn Torres, Emma Spath, Claudia Close (coach), Nancy Brown (co-coach) and Sherri Laning (kneeling) with her support dog, Dezi.