David Callahan, an ethics advocate and author of the books The Cheating Culture and The Moral Center, spoke to over 2,000 business students on Thursday, October 3, in the Lied Center for Performing Arts, as part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration Business Ethics Program State Farm Ethics Day Lecture.  
 
Callahan was excited to speak to a large audience of students and noted the importance of the business ethics program at CBA.
 
“It’s great that CBA is making students aware of ethics issues they will confront in their lives,” he said. “When I speak to students I let them know they can make a difference in the world with the choices they make. Young people just need an awareness of the issues and that’s what I try to give them.”
 
He emphasized that despite the perception of a deteriorating culture, many statistics show societal improvement with crime rates dropping and family structures improving.
 
“You can look at it both ways. There have been improvements in governmental regulations to cut down on white collar crime but we’ve also seen more examples of high profile cheating in sports,” he said.
 
Callahan was introduced at the event by Lupe Alcala, regional claims manager from State Farm. The company was praised by Callahan and Dr. Donde Plowman, James Jr. and Susan Endowed Dean of the College of Business Administration, for their continued efforts to support the business ethics program at the college.
 
“It’s been great to have State Farm as a partner in our business ethics program lecture series,” Plowman said. “They contribute to giving our students the opportunity to hear some of the most important speakers in the area of ethical leadership.”
 
Callahan, who regularly appears on national news programs on Fox, CNN and MSNBC, also spoke to a smaller group of business leaders and students at the Beyond the Bottom Line Business Ethics Luncheon which took place earlier in the day at the Wick Alumni Center. Published: October 11, 2013