The Stand Up Award was created in 2008 to honor undergraduate students who demonstrate the courage to stand behind a cause, idea, or belief as they exhibit ethical leadership on campus and in the community.

Stand Up 2019

Alice Greider

Fanta Condé

Brendan Bernicker

MEET the 2018 HONOREES
Brendan Bernicker

Brendan Bernicker

Read More About Brendan
Fanta Condé

Fanta Condé

Read More about Fanta
Alice Greider

Alice Greider

Read More about Alice

Watch the Ceremony Live Stream

Ceremony Highlights

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Tina Hennessey and Geoff Halberstadt-2a790ft
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Rocks, staff chatting-1eeycz6
Rocks, both Stand Up Students and their families-1w04yyy
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reception in hall-25u0bwr
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Mrs. Condé w_directors-15h3tsd
Martie Bernicker w_Brendan's poster-1hmx2yf
Josh Inwood's little girl-2dikccg
Josh Inwood Hilary Malatino-ujnwzi
Martie Bericker John Christman-22lhng5
Martie Bernicker and certificate-2m1x7ed
John Christman intro Brendan Bernicker-1e0ahot
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WS room Eduardo speaking-1pgfmh0
Greider family-1prymu5
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Erin Heidt-Forsythe-poli sci-2k0c3iv
Elizabeth Ramadass-1fjosoy
Eduardo Mendieta-10of944
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Cathy Wanner intro Alice Greider-24usbp2
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See more Stand Up 2018 Photos
Do You Have Any Questions?
If you don’t see your question here, please contact us.
What is the Stand Up Award?
The Rock Ethics Institute inaugurated the Stand Up Award to honor Penn State undergraduate students who have demonstrated courage, fortitude, and ethical leadership by taking a stand for a person, a cause, or a belief. This award and the individuals it honors should remind the entire Penn State community of how often the extraordinary act is possible in ordinary circumstances.
What do you need to Stand Up?

In the face of difficult challenges, social pressures, and conflicting claims concerning what to do, it takes courage and conviction to Stand Up for the beliefs that we hold dear. You can Stand Up if you have:

    • Confidence, borne of solid understanding of the tools for ethical inquiry
    • Experience that leads to understanding the possible consequences of speaking out
    • Knowledge of ethical norms and values
We at the Rock Ethics Institute are proud that examples of such courage and conviction are found among the undergraduate students at Penn State. Ethical leadership is clearly alive on all of our campuses across the Commonwealth. It is especially impressive when a student stands up by:
    • Articulating the particular ethical values and principles that are most relevant to an ethical situation
    • Assessing where substantive agreements and disagreements occur in everyday life and actions
    • Modeling productive ways of addressing disagreements
    • Acting with ethical leadership
Can I nominate a Penn State Undergrad?
Absolutely! Any faculty, staff, student, or community member may nominate a Penn State undergraduate student from any campus for the Stand Up Award
Does the nominee need to be full-time?

Yes, the nominee must be enrolled as a full-time baccalaureate student at any Penn State campus during at least one semester of the 2018/19 academic year.

How do I nominate a student?
You can submit your nomination via the online nomination form. Both the nominee and the nominator can submit their information independently and the other will be notified once the required materials are submitted.
What is required of the nominator during the application process?
Nominators must write a confidential letter on behalf of the student. This letter should address  the items listed below. Please be specific and provide relevant details for the Stand Up Award Committee to consider in their review process.

    • How do you know the student?
    • How did you become aware of the student’s ethical leadership?
    • What did the student accomplish?
    • What is the ethical issue(s) that the student’s actions addressed?
    • How did the student serve as an exemplar of ethical leadership?
What is required of the nominee during the application process?
A three-part essay written by the nominee, of no more than 750 words, describing what was accomplished, the ethical reasoning that led to this action, and how these actions involved ethical leadership. The nominee can find the editable essay form here.  In order to understand the Rock Ethics Institute’s conception of ethical leadership we encourage students to view our Ethical Leadership Education module.
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131 Sparks Building, University Park, PA 16802

Rock Ethics Institute

The Rock Ethics Institute inaugurated the Stand Up Award to honor Penn State undergraduate students who have demonstrated courage, fortitude, and ethical leadership by taking a stand for a person, a cause, or a belief. This award and the individuals it honors should remind the entire Penn State community of how often the extraordinary act is possible in ordinary circumstances.

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