About Me

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In addition, Scott serves as a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Psychology and Counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), collaborating with Dr. Ben Freer and Dr. Bob McGrath on the Global Citizens of Character Initiative.

A retired U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer, Scott served for over 21 years in strategic, operational, and tactical assignments, including three combat tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He earned his Ph.D. through the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, UK, and holds dual master’s degrees in Philosophy and Political Science from Columbia University.

Scott’s previous roles include:

  • Assistant Vice Chancellor for Character and Ethics, Texas Tech University System (2023–2025)

  • Character Development Integrator for the Military Program and member of the Character Integration Advisory Group, United States Military Academy at West Point (2020–2023)

  • Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Ethics, West Point (2014–2023)

  • Research Fellow in Ethics, Boston College (2017–2019)

  • Board Member, Heritage in War Project, Stockholm Centre for the Ethics of War and Peace (2016–2020)

Scott Parsons, Ph.D.

Dr. Scott Parsons is the founder of The Flourishing Leaders Academy, an organization dedicated to helping individuals realize their full potential as human beings. Blending timeless wisdom with modern science, The Flourishing Leaders Academy supports individuals, schools, and businesses in building ethical cultures and cultivating the best versions of themselves through character and leadership development. The Academy offers workshops, designs curricula, shares integration strategies, and provides assessment tools that deliver actionable insights into performance, needs, and growth.

Scott also hosts the Flourishing Leaders Podcast, where he engages in inspiring conversations with guests who share insights, strategies, and personal stories to empower leaders at all levels to live flourishing lives and become their best selves.

A man in a suit is giving a presentation in a conference room. He stands in front of an audience with a large screen displaying an image of enthusiastic people raising their hands and a text that reads 'Forging Excellence On and Off the Field.' Two individuals are seated in the foreground, facing the presenter. A desk with notes, a bottle, and a name tag labeled 'Zelda' is visible.

An accomplished speaker, Scott has delivered over 60 invited talks, workshops, and keynotes across the United States and Great Britain on ethical leadership, character development, and flourishing. He has presented at institutions such as Harvard, Oxford, Columbia, Boston College, and Notre Dame; K–12 schools including Eton College, Wellington College, and the University of Birmingham School; professional programs like the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) at the University of Pennsylvania Law School; and organizations including the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the U.S. Army War College.

Scott is the co-author of Ethics and the Good Soldier: Character in the Professional Domain (Routledge, 2023) and co-editor of the forthcoming Working the Pause: Reflection and Contemplation Across Disciplines and Professions (Routledge, 2025). His scholarship includes dozens of book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on topics such as character education, virtue formation, ethical leadership, military ethics, Stoicism, and reflection and contemplation.