Ethics Today

“Coloring the Conservation Conversation” with author and wildlife ecologist J. Drew Lanham

This episode of the Ethics Today podcast is a recording of the annual Leopold Week lecture hosted by Viterbo University on March 5, 2021. We discuss the continuing relevance of Aldo Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac," the challenges of being a black person doing field work in wildlife ecology, and how to make nature activities more inclusive. A native of Edgefield, S.C., J. Drew Lanham is the author of "The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature," which received the Reed Award from the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Southern Book Prize, and was a finalist for the John Burroughs Medal. He is a birder, naturalist, and hunter-conservationist who has published essays and poetry in publications including Orion, Audubon, Flycatcher, and Wilderness, and in several anthologies, including The Colors of Nature, State of the Heart, Bartram’s Living Legacy, and Carolina Writers at Home. An alumni distinguished professor of wildlife ecology and master teacher at Clemson University, he and his family live in the Upstate of South Carolina, a soaring hawk’s downhill glide from the southern Appalachian escarpment that the Cherokee once called the Blue Wall.

Are Vaccines Safe?

A conversation with Chris Mayne, PhD, an immunologist at Viterbo University. Today we are discussing the new vaccines for COVID-19 currently under review by the FDA. How do they work? Are they safe? How did they get developed so quickly? Why are so many people unsure about taking them? Hosted by Richard Kyte and joined by Jill Miller, Program Coordinator for the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

Grief Reimagined

Loss affects all of us, yet many of us struggle to deal with it effectively. In today's podcast we talk to Christine Kortbein and Catherine Tyink about their new book, "Grief Reimagined: 50 Creative Ways to Build Resilience." The book presents 50 real-life stories of people who have dealt with their own loss in unique and creative ways. We talk about how rituals can help us break through emotional ruts and the importance of learning how to deal with small, everyday losses so we are prepared to cope with the grief that comes from major setbacks. The book is available for purchase at www.christinekortbein.com.

Hunting Ethics

Is ethical behavior in the field and on the stream getting worse?  Today's guest is Jay Anglin of Anglin Outdoors, a guide service out of LaPorte, Indiana.  We discuss changing norms in the hunting/fishing community, increasing competition on public lands, and the importance of mentoring.

A Conversation on Servant Leadership

This episode features an interview with Tom Thibodeau, Distinguished Professor of Servant Leadership at Viterbo University.  We discuss the history of servant leadership, the significance of Robert K. Greenleaf's writings, and why servant leadership is so relevant today. 

Sports and the Pandemic

What can we learn from the return of sports? Today's guest is Ben Wedro, MD, an emergency room doctor at Gundersen Clinic and a clinical professor in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Wedro has provided medical consultation at several major international sporting events including the Winter and Summer Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and the Pan Am Games. We talk about the ways different leagues have approached the resumption of competition and what that can tell us about the return to schools and universities this fall. Also, what should you do if you experience symptoms like a runny nose or an upset stomach?

Life is in the Transitions

Today’s program features Bruce Feiler, author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers including COUNCIL OF DADS, which inspired a new drama series on NBC. We talk about his latest book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS: Mastering Change at Any Age. Bruce describes his journey across America, collecting hundreds of life stories, exploring how we can navigate life's growing number of transitions to live with more meaning, purpose, and joy. 

Called to Serve

In 2017, after a 24 year career in the US Army, Jervie Windom moved to Texas City, Texas to start a new church dedicated to helping residents recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. What motivates someone to spend their retirement in service to others?

Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

Learning to compose your world

How can one learn to be a creative presence in the world? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Kai Kight, a classical violinist, innovative composer, and motivational speaker from Los Angeles, CA. We discuss how he learned to think of himself as both a performer and a composer, how the creative process works, how the acknowledgment of mistakes can inspire confidence, and how the pandemic revealed a depth of social interconnectedness that prepared us for the George Floyd protests.

Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

How should white people talk about race?

In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Keonte Turner, member of the La Crosse School Board and the La Crosse MLK Community Celebration Committee about the discomfort white people often feel in addressing racial issues, the burden of publicly representing minority populations, and the challenge of working to reform institutions from within.

Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.