by Jordan Foley, Student Public Relations Writer
As Cedarville University continues to expand its new online undergraduate initiative with additional programs, two business faculty members are gaining national recognition for their work exploring how artificial intelligence can be ethically integrated into virtual learning environments.
Honored for Ethical AI Integration
Alina Leo, assistant professor of management, and Dr. John Delano, associate dean of the Robert W. Plaster School of Business, were recently honored by the Christian Business Faculty Association for demonstrating how ethical AI use can enhance online student engagement when course design prioritizes human presence and integrity.
Their paper, “CTRL + ALT + ENGAGE: Rebooting Online Learning with Artificial Intelligence (AI),” developed during summer 2025, was honored at the 2025 Christian Business Faculty Association Conference in Cleveland, Tennessee, on Oct. 11.
Collaboration with Purpose
“Collaborating with Professor Leo was a rewarding experience,” said Delano. “Her intellectual rigor, clear communication and collaborative approach were essential to both the process and the success of our final paper.”
While gathering student feedback and hearing faculty frustrations about online course design during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Leo and Delano identified a significant gap: the need for a clear, integrity-focused model for online instruction amid the enthusiasm for AI. They set out to create a simple, virtue-anchored framework that instructors could adopt without requiring advanced AI expertise.
A Christian Ethic for Digital Education
“Christian higher education has a unique opportunity to pair technical excellence with moral inquiry,” said Leo. “We can ask not only ‘Can we?’ but ‘Should we, and how?’ If we step back from the conversation, we lose the chance to form leaders who use technology to uphold human dignity and serve the common good.”
Through the ENGAGE framework — which stands for exact, noble, genuine, admirable, gracious and exemplary — Delano and Leo aim to help educators adopt practical strategies that support timely feedback, authentic assessment, accessibility and instructor presence, all while maintaining academic integrity.
Continued Leadership in AI Pedagogy
Their earlier work, “From Sage on the Stage to Shepherd in the Field: The Transformative Effect of Generative AI on the Professor’s Role in the Classroom,” received top honors at the 2024 Christian Business Faculty Association Conference. That study outlined approaches for integrating AI in the classroom while preserving the essential human and ethical dimensions of teaching.
Building on that foundation, “CTRL + ALT + ENGAGE” continues the call for ethical frameworks that guide academic leaders, faculty and students in responsibly integrating AI into higher education.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
