Citizenship, Service, and Social Capital: Keys to a Healthy Society

In his talk, “Citizenship, Service, and Social Capital: Keys to a Healthy Society”, we are fortunate to hear a presentation given by Rick to the Tri-Con conference earlier this year.  It was met with much enthusiams and great reviews.

He says that in most respects, the world today is a much better place to live than at any time in human history, yet it doesn’t feel that way.  The last two years have witnessed increasing social unrest, our politics are more polarized, trust is at an all-time low, and young people especially are experiencing increasing amounts of anxiety and stress.  What can we do about it?  One answer lies in the way voluntary associations build social capital, something that is at the heart of Rotary. 

Rick Kyte is the Endowed Professor and Director of the D. B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University where he teaches a variety of ethics courses dealing with issues in business, leadership, and the environment.  He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from The Johns Hopkins University in 1994.

He is the author of several books, co-hosts a podcast titled “The Ethical Life,” and writes a biweekly column appearing in 75 newspapers across the country.  He serves on the La Crosse Community Foundation Board, the Editorial Board of the La Crosse Tribune, and is a member of the Rotary Club of La Crosse