February 2026

GOOD THOUGHT

In this article, Rosalyn W. Berne, the Anne Shirley Carter Olsson Professor of Applied Ethics at the University of Virginia, welcomes us into a conversation about how students are thinking about their futures as engineers and the decisions they will make as they enter the job market. Read more.

51o5K8Cs8YL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_
Good Read

Last week in a seminar, a student asked what might the world be like if we were all just 10% kinder, more humble, more generous, more grateful?  What if we were all 10% better humans? The question was a response to the unattainability of many moral exemplars. It was also a question about change at scale. If we aspire to a more just and equitable world where the human dignity of all is affirmed, are we better off with several more Mother Theresas or millions more who commit to be 10% better? While coming a bit close to effective altruism for my liking, I found the notion more than a bit compelling.

GOOD WORK

It’s Saturday on a farm outside Tempe. A math major and an English major from Arizona State University are weeding a row of carrots and chatting about where they grew up, while two students from the school of business are turning a compost pile nearby. Afterwards they gather with the rest of the student volunteers for a conversation about sustainability and care, and what that means for how we should live our lives.

This is a reality at the Arizona State University ASU Farm, an interdisciplinary center designed to integrate character building directly into the student experience through sustainable agriculture.

Get the monthly newsletter in your inbox.

This monthly digest will provide you with articles of interest, examples of character initiatives in higher education, book recommendations, and news about upcoming events.