Each year, CEHV sponsors two awards at OSU's Annual Denman Undergraduate Research Forum for research on topics related to our core mission. The Center for Ethics and Human Values Award recognizes exemplary undergraduate research in moral and political philosophy or on applied ethical questions underlying contentious social issues and policies. The Civil Discourse for Citizenship Award recognizes exemplary undergraduate research on the theoretical or practical challenges facing a democracy defined by ethical and political disagreement. CEHV recognizes up to two winner in each category. First place winners receive a $500 prize and second place winners receive a $250 prize. 

We are proud to announce our 2025 award recipients: 

Co-first place winners of the Center for Ethics and Human Values Award are Lincoln Lundgren (Philosophy) for his project "Is the Use the Unproblematic Epistemic Resources to Achieve Permissible Ends Always Permissible? (Mentor: Tristram McPherson, Professor of Philosophy) and Elyse Reed (English, PPE) for her project "Hygiene as Eugenics: Tracing the Impact of Hygiene Rhetoric in Law and Culture from the Immigration Act of 1924 to Present Day" (Mentor: Jennifer Schnabel, Associate Professor of English).

The winner of the Civil Discourse for Citizenship Award is Clovis Westlund (Public Management, Leadership and Policy, Sociology) for their project "Blurring Boundaries: Public and Private Influence on Homeschooling in Central Ohio" (Mentor: Stéphane Lavertu, Professor of Public Policy in the Glenn College of Public Affairs). Clovis's study investigates the difference in educational aims prioritized in public schools and private homeschool settings, finding a significant disparity in aims related to democracy and citizenship. According to their research on Central Ohio, preparing students for democratic citizenship is de-emphasized in homeschool settings compared to public schools. 

Congratulations to our 2025 winners!