UWs Team Wins First Place in Ethics in Action Video Competition

The University of Wyoming’s Student Center for the Public Trust (SCPT) placed first in the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Center for the Public Trust’s (CPT) Ethics in Action video competition.

The annual competition seeks creative video entries highlighting examples of ethical behavior in the business world. The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students across all disciplines attending colleges and universities throughout the United States.

The NASBA CPT received 94 video submissions from more than 20 colleges and universities. One winner and one runner-up were selected in four categories: short film (1-3 minutes); commercial (59 seconds or less); viewer’s choice short film; and viewer’s choice commercial. Members of the public viewed and voted for their favorite video submissions to pick the viewer’s choice winners.

UW’s SCPT won first place in the viewer’s choice commercial category with the video, titled “Get Ethics.”

The idea for UW’s commercial came from thinking about catchy commercials the group had remembered seeing in the past, says team member Troy Cassity, a management junior from Riverton. Team members realized that the commercials were memorable because of a catchy jingle, so they decided to create their own.

“The goal for our video was to portray an ethical issue we feel affects workplaces today. We took a more general approach and decided to touch on smaller workplace behaviors that are considered unethical,” says Madison Petrock, a management senior from Aurora, Colo. “I think often people just think that unethical behavior involves stealing money, and it is so much more than that. We also wanted to make our video exciting and fun and, when Troy came up with the idea to base our commercial off of the Pepto-Bismol commercial, we knew we had to do it.”

“This is the first time that this group of students worked together in this particular competition, but our student CPT chapter at the University of Wyoming participated last year and received an award as well,” says Kenna Noble, a management junior from LaGrange.

UW’s SCPT received $500 for winning. The prize money will go toward the chapter’s community support project in which the SCPT gives money to local nonprofit organizations chosen by members of the chapter.

“We would like to extend a thank you to the NASBA Student Center for the Public Trust organization for hosting this competition and for furthering ethical leadership education across the country,” Noble says. “This competition was a great opportunity for our chapter to work together and get to know new members, as well as have fun while making the video.”

For more information about UW’s SCPT, email the UW recognized student organization’s faculty adviser Kent Noble at knoble@uwyo.edu or visit the webpage on UW Connect.

UW team members, listed by hometown, name and major, are:

Aurora, Colo. -- Madison Petrock, management senior.

Cheyenne -- Jessen Reckling, management sophomore.

Hutchinson, Minn. -- Elle Wheatley, management sophomore.

Jackson -- Harrison Sauter, undeclared sophomore.

LaGrange -- Kenna Noble, management junior.

Riverton -- Troy Cassity, management junior.

Timnath, Colo. -- Lindsey Noble, management sophomore.

Torrington -- Branton Samson, management senior.

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