Values, as observed in students, is essential in an organization. For example, an educational institution has two kinds of values that comprise of formal values and informal values. Formal values are those that are written by the school in the missions and visions statement, and all students are expected to work toward achieving them. Informal on the other hand are those that are portrayed by the students but are not written anywhere in the school notice. At Stetson University, the institution has mission and values that all students are expected to follow. On the other hand, Stetson students should also have some values that they should portray to be identified as a student in this institution.

Comparison between formal and informal

Stetson has a value that requires all students learning in this institution to have personal growth. They should have self-knowledge, spiritual exploration, self-awareness as well as intercultural competence. The institution has a belief that if all students portray these qualities, they will be able to have passion and a drive towards personal success. Most students at this institution have these qualities as they have self-drive in all the activities they do. Most of the class work is done with minimal supervision as students are focused on achieving their dream.

The institution expects students to have intellectual development in their aim to achieve academic excellence. They should have the drive to engage an active mind and to apply various methods in an academic inquiry that will foster creativity and professionalism. These are made to make students approach their life outside the school with a lot of confidence and integrity. Most of these values are seen in the Stetson students as they apply all their effort in ensuring they achieve academic excellence. Students always utilize university resources such as the library and educational trips so they can gain the knowledge necessary in intellectual development.

Being a global citizen who is able and flexible to work anywhere in the world is also a vision for the institution. In realizing this, the university work to ensure that students are prepared to be informed and engage citizens from diverse communities and cultures. Students are taught how to work in a team where they can accommodate anybody from any background all over the world. Most of the values that students are required to adhere to include, community engagement, the inclusion of everyone, environmental responsibility as well as social justice in the society. This is not seen in the Stetson University students as many of the students do not value the environment. They do not engage the community adequately which limits their knowledge on diversity and inclusion. Students will find it hard to accommodate other people who they do not know clearly.

Change in Stetson ethical culture

Since some values are not portrayed well by students, Stetson University needs a change in its ethical culture. They need a culture that is inclusive of all aspects of life to make students be all round and responsible in the environment. The environment should be observed and be made safe for living.  It should be a responsibility of all people in the institution to ensure that students embrace all values that are highlighted in the mission and vision statement.

Recommendations

To ensure that students are responsible in the environment, the institution together with student leaders should have various programs that promote the environment. Such programs include tree planting day or community work where all students take time to clean the whole school. This will help in making sure that the environment in which they live in is safe for learning. Also, the students can engage in community development programs to make them accommodate and value the local community around. Engagement of the community around is a way of showing that the institution values and cares for the community. They should have a program where they admit students from around the school as a way to include the locals.

The institution should increase and include technology in all the activities that the school has. This will be essential in nurturing student talents to help them be creative and innovative in their outside world. The values and mission statement should have some aspect of technology. Since the world is in a digital era, technology drives everything around the world. As such, the school should put it as its primary aim to help students be current. Technology should be applied everywhere even outside the class and students who use it can become global citizens. They will be able to work anywhere in the world as they have the necessary skills required to work in any company.

In conclusion, both formal and informal values should be portrayed by all students to make them be identified as a member of a given institution. They vary from one institution to another as the expectation from students also vary. For the Stetson University, students are expected to have personal growth and intellectual development, as well as the, being global citizens. This requires them to engage the local community to ensure that they include them in their vision. It is evident that most of the values stated in the school mission and vision statement is followed by the students keenly. However, there are some of the values that are not observed well which requires the institution to change its ethical culture to include technology for developing creative minds in students. As such they will be able to approach the digital era with a lot of confidence as they have the skills necessary to fit in it.