First-Year Students Win the PC Business Ethics Case Competition
The Competition:
A joint effort by business and philosophy majors took first place at the final round of the PC Business Ethics Case competition on October 24, 2026. Students from all majors were invited to register and analyze a current ethical business issue: should autonomous vehicles be allowed in a small city? The cases raised questions about safety, cybersecurity, liability, and more.
In the competition sponsored by the Ethics in Business Education Program, participants were given a case outlining the risks and benefits of AI behind the wheel. Then, they were instructed to consider the ramifications of allowing fully AI vehicles in a small New England town. They conducted their own research and combined that with ethical theories such as virtue ethics, deontology, utilitarianism, justice, and more to reach a stance on the issue.
Their position on the case
The three students, Travis Wingard ’30, Luke Foley ’30, and Antonio Ventresca ’30, developed a “robust ethical argument” that earned them first place in the competition, with the help of their mentor, Alma S. Espartinez, Ph.D., assistant instructional professor of philosophy. The group took “a conditional yes” stance, hinging upon the plan being phased, geofenced, permit-based, and fully revocable on defined safety triggers. Wingard said this plan relied upon the ethical principles of utilitarianism, justice, the principle of double effect, virtue, and Catholic social teaching. Wingard and Ventrensca are both philosophy majors, and Foley studies finance. Having both a financial and philosophical perspective allowed for the “crossroads of ideas” when developing their argument, Wingard said.
Anticipated results?
Wingard, Foley, and Ventrensca saw being new to Providence College as a benefit entering this competition, providing them with a motivation and a fresh mindset. “We viewed the competition as an opportunity to not only display but to enhance our skillset surrounding the interdisciplinary work of philosophy and business. As first years, it gave us a unique position within the competition as we had something to prove not only to the other participants and judges but to ourselves.” Wingard said they were confident in their abilities and preparation, but did not want to have false expectations. Still, going into the competition with a winning mindset allowed them to compete with confidence. “Walking into the final round on Saturday, Dean Dufresne jokingly asked our group if we thought we were going to win. We answered in all seriousness, ‘yes.’”
Runner-ups were seniors Kristen Clougherty, Meredith Ernst, Justin Manno, and Zach Stoyer. They too represented a variety of majors, including marketing and economics. Ernst believes this competition helps students achieve their career goals. “Presenting to your class or peers is a good experience in class, but presenting to a small panel of judges that are usually professors allows you an opportunity to practice presenting to superiors which is a very important skill for career and beyond,” she said.
The first-place team will represent Providence College in the Michael Smith Business Ethics Case Competition in the spring.
