One of the cornerstones of a West Virginia University business education is a strong ethical framework. Now, thanks to the support of one of the largest grantmaking foundations in the United States, the business leaders of tomorrow are becoming its philosophical leaders too.
In September 2025, the John Templeton Foundation, which supports interdisciplinary research centered on morality, inspiration and purpose, bestowed a grant of $2.49 million upon the University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics. The Templeton Foundation grant was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
Under the guidance of Professor Chris Freiman, Associate Professor Cate Johnson and Professor David Schmidtz, the funds will go toward:
Establishing a first-of-its-kind postdoctoral fellowship in business ethics, training philosophically minded students to serve as ethicists in business schools throughout the country
Producing mission-driven research at the cutting edge of moral theory and business ethics, which will begin with new two new issues of Social Philosophy and Policy and a new book by Schmidtz
Integrating ethical lessons into business education through experiential learning that asks students to create value for themselves and others, reflect on their career ambitions, and confront moral dilemmas
The funds will also go towards recruiting five permanent faculty members and delivering new sections of an enhanced Business Ethics course, which all Chambers College undergraduates are required to take. The coursework material produced will be made available for instructors at fellow business schools to use when implementing their own version of this program.
In essence, this grant will change business ethics education not only at WVU, but far beyond.
“Our approach is animated by the idea that philosophy is not just something you learn – it’s something you live,” Freiman said. “We want to marry philosophy’s study of meaning and business schools’ study of commerce by exploring the parallels between an individual's search for purpose and a business's imperative to understand its mission.”
Freiman emphasized that this initiative would not be possible without the generous support of the Templeton Foundation:
“We are extraordinarily grateful for the support of the John Templeton Foundation. We simply could not undertake a project of this size and scope without the grant. And beyond the financial support, we appreciate the Foundation’s confidence in our team as we explore a new frontier in business ethics education and research.”
The ethical grounding that students gain from this initiative will prepare them to set a standard as leaders of businesses and communities. In doing so, it will directly contribute to the University’s land-grant mission, serving the people of West Virginia and the world.
“This type of investment is truly transformational and will help set the Chambers College and West Virginia University apart from other business schools around the country,” said Milan Puskar Dean Josh Hall. “As we train students to make a difference in the business world, this unique program will give students a new perspective on the business world that will set them up for future success.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Andrew Marvin
Senior Communications Specialist
John Chambers College of Business and Economics
andrew.marvin@mail.wvu.edu
