Smeal College of Business

Smeal RISE Above Award recipients demonstrate honor and integrity

Karen Maull, left, clinical assistant professor of business law in the Penn State Smeal College of Business, and Franchesca Cifuentes, a Smeal Executive MBA student, were recently recognized with RISE Above awards, which signify their dedication to honor and integrity.  Credit: Graphic by Jonathan Beightol. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Smeal Executive MBA student Franchesca Cifuentes and Clinical Assistant Professor of Business Law Karen Maull were recently announced as the 2023 RISE Above Award recipients. 

The RISE Above Graduate Student Award recognizes a Smeal graduate student who demonstrates ethical awareness and a commitment to integrity. 

Cifuentes was recognized for her leadership role within the Tarriff Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. Cifuentes served as a Tarriff Center Ambassador, in a collaborative relationship with leaders of Penn State’s Restorative Justice Initiative. More specifically, Cifuentes worked alongside other MBA student volunteers to plan and orchestrate financial literacy workshops as part of the prison education program. 

Cifuentes’ work included organizing weekly volunteer meetings, attending weekly workshops held with individuals currently incarcerated at the Huntingdon State Correctional Institution and coordinating with the lead officer at Huntingdon SCI and Penn State Restorative Justice Initiative leaders. 

“Ms. Cifuentes’ engagement in this area models the type of impact all Smeal students and alumni should have in our communities — leveraging business knowledge and skills to effect positive change in the lives of others,” said Michelle Darnell, director of the Tarriff Center. 

Cifuentes will continue to further develop the workshop series in the fall, which contributes to the sustainability and future of the initiative. 

The RISE Above Faculty Award recognizes a Smeal faculty member who has a commitment to Smeal’s goals of promoting integrity and ethical behavior. This commitment can be demonstrated by showcasing best practices in the classroom and/or the workplace. 

Maull was recognized for her advocacy and dedication to academic integrity in relation to Chat GPT and artificial intelligence. Additionally, she was praised for her efforts to connect academic integrity issues with professional integrity in the classroom. 

Darnell explained how Smeal’s community, including the award recipients, goes above and beyond and inspires others to commit to the same ethical responsibilities. 

“Smeal has a long-standing commitment to continuously developing a culture of honor and integrity, but this commitment is authentic and becomes impactful only when members within our community actively demonstrate our shared values,” Darnell said. 

Last Updated August 17, 2023

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