
Transformation Through Dialogue
We help communities and organizations address ethical challenges through collaborative research, education, and discussion. Listening to one another, working with each other, and learning from those we disagree with are truly some of the most ethical things we can do.
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Center for Ethics News

Harvard’s Dr. Dani Rodrik Opens 8th Annual Ethics of Business, Trade, and Global Governance Conference
The Center for Ethics at Saint Anselm College hosts its 8th…

Saint Anselm College Hosts AI in the Granite State Panel
Saint Anselm College’s Center for Ethics in Society hosts…

Exploring Ethical Dilemmas at the 2026 Goodchild Regional Ethics Bowl
Saint Anselm College hosted its annual Goodchild Regional Ethics Bowl…

Eighth Annual Housing We Need Forum Highlights Solutions to New Hampshire’s Housing Challenges
Saint Anselm College hosted the 8th annual …

Christmas 2025 on the Hilltop
Christmas at Saint Anselm College is always one of our favorite times of the…

Anselmians Travel Down the Rhine with Arches
This October, Saint Anselm friends and alumni participated in the…
Ethics is about what it means to live well for an individual, an organization, or a community. It is not so much about rules and punishment and guilt as it is about the keys to health, happiness, and human flourishing.

Marc V. Rugani is Director of the Center for Ethics in Society (CES) and Associate Professor of Theology at Saint Anselm College. He received his doctorate in moral theology and ethics from The Catholic University of America in 2021 and has published numerous articles focusing on how Catholic social teaching informs economics, politics, and sociology. His work at the CES is grounded in a commitment to the dignity of all persons, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the common good. He believes the CES can contribute to community flourishing by fostering sincere encounters with one another in collaborative dialogue, education, and service.
Upcoming Events

As globalization gives way to regionalization and shifting geopolitical alliances, artificial intelligence is emerging as a decisive force reshaping investment landscapes. This talk with Dr. Stephan Unger (Professor of Finance at Saint Anselm College), will explore how the combined effects of deglobalization and AI adoption are transforming economic stability, labor markets, and price dynamics, and what that means for investors. The session offers a forward-looking framework to understand where capital is likely to flow in a world defined by both technological acceleration and economic fragmentation.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. There will be light refreshments.
Register here →

Meet the Speaker
Stephan Unger is a Professor of Finance at Saint Anselm College, NH. With extensive experience in both academia and the financial sector, he has worked as a stockbroker, corporate FX/fixed-income structuring specialist at an Investment bank in London, Milan, and Munich, and was Director of an algorithmic FX trading firm. In academia, he has held positions at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and the University of Vienna in Austria, with a focus on finance, monetary policy, and macroeconomics. As a long-standing member of the program committee and senior advisor of the World Energy Council in London and Vienna, he oversees the agenda of the World Energy Council Austria and coordinates the Young Energy Professionals program in Austria. He also holds a Diploma in Jazz Piano and an MA in Ancient Philosophy from the University of Athens in Greece.
Event details for AI and the Future of Investment in a Deglobalized World

We invite you to apply for the upcoming Learning Liberty Colloquium on Plutarch, hosted by the Center for Ethics in Society and facilitated by Philosophy Professor Tom Larson. Learn about Plutarch, whose writings, especially his biographies of Greeks and Romans, have been read and beloved by so many, including Thomas More, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Montagne, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Friedrich Nietzsche. (Even Frankenstein’s creature!)
Come and discuss Plutarch’s lives of:
- Lycurgus, lawgiver of Sparta
- Solon, lawgiver of Athens
- Numa, the second king of Rome, and
- Caius Marcius, subject of Shakespeare’s "Coriolanus"
This event promises a weekend of thoughtful study, reflection, and conversations about the writings of Plutarch, which cover many topics including: history, ethics, psychology, political theory, biography, drama, and lessons in civic leadership.
Students will read 75-100 pages in preparation for this colloquium and will receive a $150 stipend for their participation. Food will be provided.
Dates:
- Friday, March 27, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
- Saturday, March 28, 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM
APPLY TODAY →
“The excellence of Plutarch consists in these very details which we are no longer permitted to describe. With inimitable grace he paints the great man in little things; and he is so happy in the choice of his instances that a word, a smile, a gesture, will often suffice to indicate the nature of his hero. With a jest Hannibal cheers his frightened soldiers, and leads them laughing to the battle which will lay Italy at his feet; Agesilaus riding on a stick makes me love the conqueror of the great king; Caesar passing through a poor village and chatting with his friends unconsciously betrays the traitor who professed that he only wished to be Pompey’s equal. Alexander swallows a draught without a word—it is the finest moment in his life; Aristides writes his own name on the shell and so justifies his title; Philopoemen, his mantle laid aside, chops firewood in the kitchen of his host. This is the true art of portraiture. Our disposition does not show itself in our features, nor our character in our great deeds; it is trifles that show what we really are. What is done in public is either too commonplace or too artificial, and our modern authors are almost too grand to tell us anything else.” (Rousseau, "Emile")
Event details for Student Colloquium: Lessons in Citizenship from Plutarch

We invite you to apply for the upcoming Learning Liberty Colloquium on Plutarch, hosted by the Center for Ethics in Society and facilitated by Philosophy Professor Tom Larson. Learn about Plutarch, whose writings, especially his biographies of Greeks and Romans, have been read and beloved by so many, including Thomas More, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Montagne, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Friedrich Nietzsche. (Even Frankenstein’s creature!)
Come and discuss Plutarch’s lives of:
- Lycurgus, lawgiver of Sparta
- Solon, lawgiver of Athens
- Numa, the second king of Rome, and
- Caius Marcius, subject of Shakespeare’s "Coriolanus"
This event promises a weekend of thoughtful study, reflection, and conversations about the writings of Plutarch, which cover many topics including: history, ethics, psychology, political theory, biography, drama, and lessons in civic leadership.
Students will read 75-100 pages in preparation for this colloquium and will receive a $150 stipend for their participation. Food will be provided.
Dates:
- Friday, March 27, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
- Saturday, March 28, 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM
APPLY TODAY →
“The excellence of Plutarch consists in these very details which we are no longer permitted to describe. With inimitable grace he paints the great man in little things; and he is so happy in the choice of his instances that a word, a smile, a gesture, will often suffice to indicate the nature of his hero. With a jest Hannibal cheers his frightened soldiers, and leads them laughing to the battle which will lay Italy at his feet; Agesilaus riding on a stick makes me love the conqueror of the great king; Caesar passing through a poor village and chatting with his friends unconsciously betrays the traitor who professed that he only wished to be Pompey’s equal. Alexander swallows a draught without a word—it is the finest moment in his life; Aristides writes his own name on the shell and so justifies his title; Philopoemen, his mantle laid aside, chops firewood in the kitchen of his host. This is the true art of portraiture. Our disposition does not show itself in our features, nor our character in our great deeds; it is trifles that show what we really are. What is done in public is either too commonplace or too artificial, and our modern authors are almost too grand to tell us anything else.” (Rousseau, "Emile")
Event details for Student Colloquium: Lessons in Citizenship from Plutarch

The Center for Ethics invites students to participate in its Learning Liberty Essay “Write-Off,” where students will have up to two and a half hours to write an essay of 1,000 words or less on the following prompt:
Does a liberal arts education in the 21st century prepare students for responsible citizenship in their community, nation, and the world?
Participants will be allowed to bring a single piece of paper with an outline/notes to the write-off, but they must compose their essay without the assistance of artificial intelligence. The write-off will be proctored by a faculty member. Coffee and cookies will be available.
The first-place winner will receive $500 and two runners-up will receive $200 each.
A panel of faculty, staff, and outside guests will blind review essays.
Possible avenues of inquiry that relate to the prompt:
- The value of liberty and its connection to the good life
- Your experience/things you have learned during Learning Liberty colloquia and/or your time at Saint Anselm College
- A relevant public issue or public figure
- Creativity is encouraged

The growth in mindfulness over the past decade has been astounding. More individuals and organizations are recognizing the physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits of embracing mindfulness as part of daily living.
Mindfulness is the intentional directing of awareness to the present moment in a focused and sustained manner with nonjudgement. Mindfulness is thus paying attention to our attention moment by moment, by moment. By being mindful, among other things, we learn how we create our reality.
Leadership is concerned with identifying new realities and helping the organization adapt and align to the changes they imply. Leadership is thus about paying attention to what is arising each moment within the spheres of the relevant domains at the time.
This seminar will discuss mindfulness, its impact, and how it is practiced, and will propose how practicing mindfulness can be extremely helpful to the role and tasks of leadership.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Light refreshments will be available. Register here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/mtkpavk
Meet the Speaker:
Annabel Beerel is an Executive Leadership and Ethics consultant. She hosts a variety of seminars on Leadership, Change Management, Ethics, and Mindfulness. She is the former Distinguished Chair of Ethics at SNHU and interim Dean of Religious Life at Wellesley College. She has written several books on leadership and ethics and speaks at a variety of conferences.

Powerful writing has the ability to shape perspectives and drive change. In this dynamic six-week workshop, you will engage in both group and one-on-one sessions in order to immerse yourself in the art of persuasive op-ed and opinion writing. You’ll have an opportunity to learn from nationally recognized experts in writing and editing, including being able to ask questions about your work. Fifteen participants will work directly with Trent Spiner, an editor-in-chief and former national political reporter, in one-on-one sessions designed to help you craft and publish an op-ed on a topic of your choice. This class will be a journey to craft impactful narratives that inspire meaningful action in your community. All classes will be conducted via Zoom. A majority of previous participants of this workshop were successfully published in local and statewide news outlets.
What You'll Gain:
- Develop, write, and pitch at least one compelling op-ed.
- Group classes focused on brainstorming, drafting, and pitching op-eds.
- Facilitated conversations and Q&A sessions with op-ed experts.
Participants will also receive individualized coaching sessions for hands-on writing, editing, and pitching to media outlets. Those include:
- Two one-hour coaching sessions with Trent Spiner, drawing from his extensive experience as an editor-in-chief and presidential campaign reporter.
- Concrete results: a draft op-ed, pitch letter, and actionable leads for publication.
Dates:
May 29, 2026 (group session)
Noon - 4 p.m.
Held via Zoom
June 26, 2024 (group session)
Noon - 4 p.m.
Held via Zoom
One-on-one coaching sessions will be individually scheduled.
Audience: Open to all New Hampshire residents, with a special emphasis on those engaged in advocacy or working at mission-based non-profits.
Apply here by midnight on May 15, 2026: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkzcyNfHbIslRonjJpnQ2g2k-gp8dRDF4M98yrPnBYQuKPRA/viewform?usp=publish-editor
The registration fee for accepted applicants is $299. This fee covers two four-hour workshops and two hours of one-on-one coaching. All classes will be conducted via Zoom.
Questions? Email Hannah Deignan, hdeignan@anselm.edu
About the Facilitator:
Trent Spiner is a nationally recognized expert in writing and editing who served as a presidential campaign reporter at POLITICO, executive editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader, and president of the New Hampshire Press Association.
Support for this program comes from a $2 million endowment created by the N.H. Secretary of State's Office and the Center for Public Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship awarded to Saint Anselm College in 2013. The Endowment was created from a settlement reached between the New Hampshire Securities Bureau and Tyco International, LTD in 2002 and is administered by the University of New Hampshire Foundation.
Event details for The Power of Storytelling: An Op-Ed Workshop
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