Professor uses prestigious fellowship as springboard for leadership

Dr. Ashley Atkins, associate professor of philosophy and newly appointed director for the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society, recently completed a prestigious Bellagio Center Residency. Hosted by the Rockefeller Foundation, the 26-day program gathers innovators representing diverse disciplines and nationalities, selected through an intensive, extremely competitive application process. Finalists are invited to advance their work together in picturesque Lake Como, Italy. By day Atkins’ 10-person cohort worked on their individual projects, with evenings spent sharing meals and learning from one another.

Atkins enjoyed the opportunity to engage in intensive, focused work on her book project, which explores grief through the lens of literary works. Sharing her project with fellow cohort members with a wide range of expertise helped her to hone her ability to communicate her work to broad audiences. 

“Trying out different forms and trying to talk to people who don’t share my assumptions always encourages a sort of flexibility or lightness or attention to other people,” says Atkins. “That’s healthy for me as a scholar.” 

Atkins hopes to bring the Bellagio Center’s spirit of open discussion to her work as the new leader of WMU’s Center for the Study of Ethics in Society. Founded in 1985, the Center is supported by a faculty advisory committee composed of members from across the University who share a common interest in promoting the study and teaching of ethics. The Center encourages community engagement with ethical topics on campus and beyond through sponsored events, conferences and book clubs. 

“What I've found in talking to people about ethics is that when I say ‘ethics,’ they hear ‘problems,’” says Atkins. “I want to change that perception in the broader community. Ethics is woven into everything that we do and it's at the heart of our community building.” 

Atkins is excited to host more events in inviting off-campus public spaces to connect WMU’s talented faculty and students with the broader southwest Michigan community. She also aims to engage more WMU students in the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, a national competition that encourages students to engage in thoughtful, well-reasoned debate and to become informed and active global citizens.