Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission

Shayla Brown — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:14:32 +0000

Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission Shayla Brown Wed, 04/16/2025 - 10:14

This spring, George Mason �鶹�� Professor Al Fuertes traveled to Rwanda to facilitate workshops for former victims and perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan mass genocide.

“These are people who have extended forgiveness and reconciliation, something many of us might think is surreal or impossible,” said Fuertes, who teaches in the School of Integrative Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “But this is proof that even against the backdrop of genocide, it’s possible.”

Al Fuertes (bottom center) at a peace-building workshop in Rwanda. Photo provided.

Fuertes, who has a background in conflict analysis and resolution and specializes in trauma healing, has previously traveled to Rwanda in March and November 2024, and has taken students with him on some of his excursions as part of a study-abroad program for which he is the faculty director.

His most recent trip was in collaboration with the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Protestant �鶹�� of Rwanda (PUR) located in Huye District. Fuertes also connected and collaborated with the grassroots organization, "Light Group" in Remera, and the Aegis Trust, a program component of the Rwanda Genocidal Memorial.

Al Fuertes conducting a peace-building workshop. Photo provided.

“It's a different level of learning when students have the opportunity to meet firsthand those who were involved or impacted and are now sharing their stories,” said Fuertes.

“It is an extremely freeing and life-changing thing for students to experience, especially those who don't necessarily believe in forgiveness or who struggle to forgive.”

Each semester, Fuertes hosts a panel presentation of Rwandan survivors as part of the learning activities in my graduate courses CONF 695 Praxis of Forgiveness and Reconciliation amid Polarization and CONF 695 Psychosocial Trauma Healing. This spring semester’s panel resulted in increased participation from George Mason students.

“Knowing that one of the challenges to reconciliation in Rwanda is poverty, students from my trauma-informed and resilience-oriented practice class decided to donate 15 goats to families of both former perpetrators and former victims, now survivors,” said Fuertes.

Dianne Rambo, BIS in Peacebuilding and Well-Being Studies ’24, has been a federal contractor in the intelligence world for more than 20 years. She came back to George Mason to study the process of healing childhood trauma in adults in hopes of becoming a mental health counselor.

“I took [CONF 695 the Praxis of Forgiveness and Reconciliation] with Al, and the course material and experiential learning have really changed the course of my life and career goals,” said Rambo, who met Fuertes at an online workshop for forgiveness and reconciliation.

Rambo, who is currently a non-degree graduate student in George Mason’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and part of George Mason's Working Group on Forgiveness and Reconciliation along with Fuertes, traveled to Rwanda with Fuertes for the 14-day winter study-abroad program focusing on genocide, healing, and reconciliation.

A healing circle. Photo by Al Fuertes.

“I met the Rwandans via Zoom panels while in Al’s class. We learned about their stories and it just blew my mind how they were facilitating this reconciliation as a nation and how it transformed their nation from this mass atrocity that happened just a couple decades ago,” said Rambo, who has also traveled to Northern Ireland, Scandanavia, and the Philippines for peace-building missions.

“�鶹�� program partners facilitated visits to the genocide memorials, and we were able to build a space that felt safe and comfortable. We'd debrief afterward where you can share the intense feelings that you may have experienced. We're seeing really hard things, but we're able to process our emotions,” said Rambo.

Rambo has been accepted into George Mason's CEHD Counseling degree program and will begin the cohort program this fall.

Rambo, Fuertes, and their program partners also have participants journal and conduct community-building activities.

“I thought of bringing healing through peace-building because it's not enough just to resolve the conflict,” said Fuertes. “If victimization is not healed, most likely, people may start embracing the victim narrative and eventually become the new perpetrator.”

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Carter School’s Spring Peace Week examines “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World”

Katarina Benson — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:35:58 +0000

Carter School’s Spring Peace Week examines “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World” Katarina Benson Wed, 04/09/2025 - 12:35

Since fall 2020, the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason �鶹�� has been hosting Peace Week, a semi-annual event that features a series of roundtables, webinars, and workshops. For Spring Peace Week beginning Monday, April 14, the theme is “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World. �鶹�� include lectures, panel discussions, including an event hosted by world-renowned cellist and conductor Diego Carneiro, and the return of the popular fireside chats on the Fairfax Campus.

“In the unprecedented times in which we live, it is more important than ever to find sustainable, nonviolent means of resolving our differences, whether they are between individuals, groups, or nations,” said Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “Since Peace Week started in the fall of 2020, it has grown to become a tradition at the Carter School, where hundreds of faculty members, guests, students, and attendees from around the world gather to showcase their expertise, learn, and share ideas and stories on a wide range of current and engaging topics.”

A few highlights include:

Monday, April 14, 2-3 p.m., Somalia Governance Capacity Gains: Impacts on Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa. This session at Van Metre Hall at Mason Square is presented by the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and features Somali Ambassador Dahir Hassan. Explore the interplay between improved governance and regional dynamics, addressing both opportunities and challenges.
Tuesday, April 15, 2:30-5 p.m., Science Diplomacy and Peacebuilding: A Negotiation Skills Workshop. This in-person workshop at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., will focus on the connections between the environment, science, and peacebuilding and include a presentation by Professor Silvia Danielak of the Carter School.
Tuesday, April 15, 4:30-5:50 p.m., Book Talk: Chimpanzees, War, and History: Are Men Born to Kill? This virtual session cosponsored by the Genocide Prevention Program at the Carter School, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology features author Brian Ferguson, who in his book Chimpanzees, War, and History deconstructs efforts to illuminate human warfare via chimpanzee analogy, and provides an alternative anthropological theory grounded in Pan-human contrasts that is applicable to different types of warfare.
Wednesday, April 16, 10:30-noon, Countering Violent Extremism. This virtual session, led by Carter School professor Daniel Rothbart and two master’s degree students, examines how the social psychology of self-righteousness, perceived threats, and outgroup acrimony underpins the violence of most extremist groups. 
Thursday, April 17, noon-1:20 p.m. The World Is My Country film, World Passports & Self-Sovereign IDs. This PBS film screening introduces the audience to Garry Davis, a song and dance man from the Golden Age of Broadway and his amazing adventures with Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir.
Thursday, April 17, 1:30-3 p.m. Paths to Peace—A Musical Journey with Diego Carneiro at the Center for the Arts on the Fairfax Campus will be a captivating session with world-renowned cellist, conductor, Rotary Peace Fellow, and founder of Orchestrating Peace, Diego Carneiro, as he takes us on a transformative journey through the universal language of music.

All Peace Week events are free and open to the public, although registration is required. For more information and a full list of events, go to the site.

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Susan Allen joined WTOP’s Sarah Jacobs to discuss Jimmy Carter’s achievements, including being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Paul Snodgrass — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 05:21:26 +0000

Susan Allen joined WTOP’s Sarah Jacobs to discuss Jimmy Carter’s achievements, including being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Paul Snodgrass Tue, 12/31/2024 - 00:21

Susan Allen, director of the Center for Peacemaking Practice at George Mason �鶹��’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution joined WTOP’s Sarah Jacobs to discuss Jimmy Carter’s achievements, including being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Listen to the interview with WTOP News.

Dr. Allen's interview appeared as part of a special segment entitle "LISTEN: WTOP hears from historians, political reporters and those who personally knew Jimmy Carter"

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Remembering Former President Jimmy Carter: Statesman, Humanitarian, and Peacemaker

Paul Snodgrass — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 22:30:48 +0000

Remembering Former President Jimmy Carter: Statesman, Humanitarian, and Peacemaker Paul Snodgrass Sun, 12/29/2024 - 17:30

George Mason �鶹��’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Remembers Former President Jimmy Carter: Statesman, Humanitarian, and Peacemaker

Former President Jimmy Carter holding the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Photo credit: the Carter Center.

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason �鶹�� remembers James “Jimmy” Earl Carter, Jr. 39th President of the United States, as an agent of peace. We send our deepest condolences to his family.

“President Carter’s unwavering dedication to peace has been, and will continue to be, our beacon and guide. �鶹�� school’s name is a tribute to President Carter’s commitment to the worldwide peaceful resolution of conflict, which is imperative in today's world, as we face many entrenched and emerging human security threats,” said Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “We will further his legacy in conflict resolution through our research and practice. His insight, passion, and love for peace will remain our inspiration in educating future peacemakers.”

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, celebrating President Carter's Nobel Peace Prize, awarded in December 2002. Photo credit: The Carter Center.

“President Carter showed us that the American presidency can be even more than the pinnacle of political power. It can also be a prelude to far greater humanitarian works,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “Tirelessly, humbly, and often unheralded, he led the eradication of Guinea worm in Africa, assured free and fair elections, and devoted thousands of hours of manual labor to help build homes for those in need. In his life, he saved countless lives, brought dignity to countless more, and spread peace throughout our world.”

President, father, husband, author, teacher, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, humanitarian, and peacebuilder, Jimmy Carter led by example. Prior to his election to the presidency in 1976, he served as both Georgia Governor and Georgia State Senator. During his term as president, the Department of Education and the Department of Energy were created.

Carter expanded the national park system and environmental protection legislation. He negotiated the Torrijos-Carter Treaties (1978) and signed the SALT II Treaty with the Soviet Union (1979). He was, perhaps, best known for his mediation efforts in realizing the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel in 1978. Titled the “Framework for Peace in the Middle East,” these dialogues paved the way for peace between these countries, even when such an outcome seemed remote.

Post-presidency, Jimmy Carter conducted peace negotiations and worked to eradicate disease in developing nations. He founded the Carter Center in 1982, and through the center, helped mediate conflicts in Ethiopia and Eritrea, North Korea, Liberia, Haiti, Bosnia, Sudan, Venezuela, and many more war-torn countries. For decades, Jimmy and his wife, Rosalynn, were prominent and active figures in Habitat for Humanity across the globe.

In 2002, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” He is one of only four U.S. Presidents to receive this honor.

On October 1st, to celebrate his 100th birthday, George Mason �鶹�� awarded President Carter an honorary doctor of humane letters to honor his legacy of selfless dedication to peace and a more just and peaceful world.

Jimmy Carter’s dedication to peace and justice was an example to peacebuilders and mediators and his efforts inspired the renaming of George Mason’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution in his honor in 2020. He will be remembered by the staff, faculty, and students at the Carter School and the entire peacebuilding community for his tireless and selfless contributions to peace.

About the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

George Mason �鶹��’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution is a community of faculty, students, staff, alumni, and partners with a fundamental commitment to building peace. Through the development of cutting-edge theory, research, education, and practical work, we seek to identify and address the underlying causes of conflict and provide tools for ethical and just peacebuilding on the local, national, and global stages.

About George Mason �鶹��

George Mason �鶹�� is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

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Mason Korea student promotes inclusivity through Korean ArtPop Storytelling Workshop

Colleen Rich — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 17:12:39 +0000

Mason Korea student promotes inclusivity through Korean ArtPop Storytelling Workshop Colleen Rich Mon, 10/14/2024 - 13:12

Seung Gyo Kim, a George Mason �鶹�� senior majoring in conflict analysis and resolution at Mason Korea, is making strides in peacemaking during his final year at George Mason �鶹��’s Fairfax Campus. Kim recently spearheaded the inaugural Korean ArtPop Storytelling Workshop, bringing together more than 100 students from diverse backgrounds during Peace Week.

Students performing at storytelling workshop. Photo provided

“As an international student, I noticed that many international students want to connect with peers from different backgrounds but often gravitate toward familiar groups,” said Kim. “Having served as a vocalist in the Korea Air Force Band, I’ve seen how music can be a universal language for peacebuilding. This inspired me to create a music-based workshop to bridge the gap between international and domestic students.”

The workshop featured live performances of Korean ArtPop songs, a genre that combines the poetry of art music with popular melodies. Trained student facilitators from the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution guided participants in using the music to explore their own stories and build mutual understanding. International students in particular reflected on their motivations for studying in the United States.

Alexandria Lasswell, a student majoring in international security and law, expressed her enthusiasm for the workshop. "My table, mostly made up of international students, was quiet at first, but we noticed another quiet table of domestic students,” she said. “We decided to combine tables and reset the energy. We connected, laughed, and learned about our differences and similarities. It showed me that, to build peaceful relationships, we need to step out of our comfort zones and invite people to the table.”

Workshop participants. Photo provided

This student-led initiative drew on multiple disciplines and received guidance from faculty advisors at George Mason. The event was supported by The Narrative Transformation Lab at the Carter School with sponsorship from the Carter School's Dean’s Office and �鶹�� Life. Audrey Williams, lab manager at the Narrative Transformation Lab, mentored the student cohort for the workshop.

“Seung Gyo has been a truly exceptional student to work with, and his leadership shone throughout the process,” Williams said. “As both an accomplished musician and a student of conflict resolution, he is well-poised to make critical contributions to the practice of arts-based peacebuilding. This was not an event where audience members simply listened to music and then dispersed. The team’s carefully designed questions and prompts opened doors to deeper conversations about belonging among international and domestic students.”

“Being a conflict analysis and resolution major equipped me with the resilience, outreach skills, and leadership abilities needed to lead a multicultural team,” said Kim, who navigated the challenges of organizing a large-scale event throughout the spring semester. “Negotiation was key, as seen in the process with the Washington Cultural Center and the Association for Conflict Resolution – Greater New York Chapter, which was vital for securing endorsements.”

Kim currently also serves on the International Student Advisory Board and as a Mason Korea Ambassador. He aspires to work at the Washington Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., and eventually become a professor, combining art song recitals with peace studies.

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George Mason �鶹�� honors former President Jimmy Carter with honorary degree

Colleen Rich — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 20:53:18 +0000

George Mason �鶹�� honors former President Jimmy Carter with honorary degree Colleen Rich Mon, 09/30/2024 - 16:53

In recognition of former President Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday on Oct. 1, George Mason �鶹��’s Board of Visitors (BOV) voted to award President Carter an honorary doctor of humane letters.

Former President Jimmy Carter. Photo by The Carter Center

James “Jimmy” Earl Carter Jr. was the 39th president of the United States and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002. This recognition, approved at the BOV meeting on Sept. 26, celebrates Carter’s legacy of selfless dedication to peace and a more just and peaceful world.

In 2020, George Mason �鶹�� renamed its School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution in honor of Carter’s diplomacy and human rights activism. The Carters were married for 77 years before Rosalynn’s death in 2023.

“The George Mason �鶹�� Board of Visitors is proud to offer this honorary doctorate to a man who has given so much to his country as a submarine officer in the Navy, in a lifetime of public service, and in his humanitarian works around the world,” George Mason Rector Charles “Cully” Stimson said.

“When your university offers a school that bears the Carter name,” George Mason President Gregory Washington said, “you’re announcing to the world: This university wants to make a difference. This university stands for making the world a more just place. This university is committed to a good greater than its own. For a century, President Carter has led the kind of life we aspire for our graduates to lead. We are proud to present him with this honorary doctorate and deepen the Carter legacy at George Mason �鶹��.”

Carter was elected President in 1976. His presidency is defined in large part by successfully mediating a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt with the 1978 Camp David Accords and, with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty II (SALT II) in 1979.

Since leaving office in 1981, the former president has been best known for his humanitarian work, including with Habitat for Humanity and through The Carter Center, which he founded in 1982 to work for peace and human rights around the world, including overseeing elections in young democracies, eradicating disease and conducting peace negotiations.

“Throughout his life, President Carter has exemplified the values of compassion, service, and justice,” Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem said. “His tireless efforts to promote human rights, resolve conflicts, and alleviate poverty have inspired generations of peacebuilders, and his enduring legacy continues to guide the mission of our school. We are privileged to carry his name and uphold his commitment to making the world a more just and peaceful place.” Read more from the dean.

Members of the community are invited to participate in a special digital birthday card for President Carter, where they can express gratitude for his lifetime of public service and for his extensive work for peace.

The Carter School encourages the public to share their stories and memories of President Carter’s legacy using the hashtag #Carter100.

Also, on Friday, Oct. 4, the Carter School will host an outdoor screening of the documentary “Rock N' Roll President” at Mason Square Plaza at 7:30 p.m. This documentary offers a unique look at how music and culture intersected with President Carter’s leadership during his time in office.

“As we celebrate President Carter’s 100th birthday, we are reminded that peace is not just a goal but a practice—a practice that requires dedication, collaboration, and hope,” Özerdem said. “Together, we can continue to build on President Carter’s legacy, working toward a world where peace, justice, and equality thrive.”

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Navy chaplain works to build international peace

Shayla Brown — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:52:48 +0000

Navy chaplain works to build international peace Shayla Brown Thu, 08/15/2024 - 12:52

U.S. Navy chaplain Andrew Hoyle studied hard in the classroom to complete his master of science in conflict analysis and resolution at George Mason �鶹�� in one year, but he hasn’t stopping learning and gaining more experience. This summer, the active-duty officer interned at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, D.C.

For his internship, Hoyle researched religions in Africa, China, Russia, and Rio de Janeiro, among other areas, looking at how the diversity of religions are embedded in cultures throughout the United States and internationally. His work culminated in an extensive article analyzing how the Russian Orthodox Church is expanding in Africa as part of Russian international relations efforts.

U.S. Navy Chaplain Andrew Hoyle. Photo provided.

Hoyle said one of his favorite internship experiences was collaborating with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development representatives, sharing their research and knowledge on peace building.

“The U.S. Ambassador to Suriname met with our team and talked about how indigenous peace building in Surinam helped address some of the nation’s biggest concerns,” said Hoyle.

“That was so phenomenal because I not only saw collaboration between the State Department and USIP on an official level, but on a really personal level. Seeing them address how we can do things better really reinforced to me that’s what international relations is about.”

USIP also frequently hosts forums and guest lectures on specific topics in the peacebuilding field. Hoyle’s academic advisor at George Mason’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, David Smith, encouraged him to attend as many as he could during his internship, he said.

“I learned so much about peace building in Africa, post-conflict societies for women in Ukraine, and how they relate to the wars happening,” Hoyle said.

“There were all kinds of interesting topics that really expanded my understanding of peacebuilding and conflict resolution on an international level.”

The United States has active-duty service members all over the world working to deter wars and build positive relationships that create stability and security, explained Hoyle.

“Those relationships happen on the international and grassroots levels, and as a military chaplain, I have a unique opportunity to be there and build those relationships through religious actor engagement,” said Hoyle.

Hoyle was able to complete his master's program in one year through the Naval Postgraduate School Civilian Institutions program.

At USIP, “I was assigned to work with the Religion Inclusive Societies Team frequently doing research on the role of military chaplains in international peace-building endeavors and how chaplains could be better leveraged to engage in those capacities,” said Hoyle.

Hoyle said his course with Carter School professor Douglas Irvin-Erickson, CONF 600 Foundations of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, laid the framework of what to expect in this field.

“The course was really foundational in my understanding of what this field is all about,” said Hoyle.

Hoyle also earned course credit with a Carter School study-abroad trip, Cambodia: Post Genocide Community Development, and Spirituality, from December 2023 to January 2024.

“We visited Buddhist monks and a monastery college, and we saw Buddhism in action culturally and did some comparison. This study-abroad experience really gave me an appetite for seeing more peacebuilding in the international community,” explained Hoyle.

Hoyle said his time with USIP will also influence his work as a chaplain.

“Throughout this internship, I observed the importance of interfaith collaboration,” he said. “One of the action guides that the team has put out is called Religion and Reconciliation, which focuses on intra- and inter-religious dialogue, and it’s something I see every day on a local level. I think that's going to be nuts and bolts for my next duty station assignment with the Navy.”

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David Smith

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Engineering, Carter School students give peace a chance

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:51:26 +0000

Engineering, Carter School students give peace a chance Nathan Kahl Tue, 07/23/2024 - 14:51

Learn More About the Minor

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Incoming college students are increasingly concerned with social justice, conflict resolution, and sustainability. These are byproducts of being raised in an interconnected, interdisciplinary world, where they’ve been taught to consider the downstream consequences of their actions and decisions.

Engineering students like the Engineers for International Development group pictured here on a clean drinking water project in Ecuador served as inspiration for the new minor. Photo provided

In response, the George Mason �鶹�� College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) and Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution are now collaborating on a minor in peace engineering. The minor’s germination comes from numerous places but was pushed forward initially by Liza Wilson Durant, CEC’s associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement, and Alpaslan Özerdem, dean of the Carter School.

"I advised students in Mason’s Engineers for International Development chapter on developing engineered solutions to community problems in remote lands in Central America,” said Durant. “The engagement with community members and the work to understand the needs of a vast number of community stakeholders was as important as the final engineered solution. It occurred to me that we could bring that kind of understanding to the classroom for more engineering students through collaboration with the Carter School.”

Jane Walker, director of undergraduate student services for the Carter School, said the minor is ideal for students of both colleges. “The engineering students will better understand culture, people, and the complexity of their interactions, and Carter School students will better understand systems thinking and engineering design. Understanding design process helps with problem solving.”

Walker noted that their students have shown interest in adding to their expertise in conflict analysis with skills in project management and technical considerations, which they could get from classes that make up this minor.

Durant was inspired watching students tackle problems in Central America.

According to the university website, the minor “brings together expertise in systems-level science, engineering principles, and conflict resolution practice to support conditions for peace. It prepares students to engage in projects with conflict sensitivity and to understand the engineering technologies and approaches impacting human systems.”

“When I pursued my civil engineering degree in Istanbul during the late 1980s, our curriculum offered limited engagement with socio-economic and cultural issues,” said Özerdem. “Although we had the opportunity to select a few electives that touched upon these topics, the primary focus remained on the technical and structural aspects of civil engineering.”

Rajesh Ganesan, an associate professor in the Systems Engineering and Operations Research Department, explained how systems engineering approaches are useful. “As we look at conflict on the whole from a global perspective, and think of all the huge factors that play a role in any crisis, we want to incorporate systems thinking into conflict analysis," he said. "It’s important for our students to have those systems thinking approaches.”

Özerdem, an engineer by training, wants students to develop holistic approaches to problems.

Özerdem said, “The disciplinary focus has evolved from a narrow technical lens to a more holistic approach that embraces flexibility and interdisciplinary learning. This shift has been a response to the growing recognition that the challenges we face today—ranging from climate change and urbanization to social equity and global peace—cannot be adequately addressed by any single discipline alone.”

Ganesan added that increasingly students are asking for courses related to things like climate change, global conflicts, energy sustainability, and more. He said, “These words were nonexistent previously. If you had asked me six or seven years ago, nobody spoke about these things, but now the students are asking for them, and we have other pushes, like from the Dean’s Advisory Board.” He said the advisory board, students, and alumni are the key sources of feedback on curriculum change.

For students looking to graduate on time, the minor only requires 15 more credits, of which eight are unique. A student may complete the minor by adding three classes and no more semesters.

Özerdem has a strong vision for the minor. “In the coming years, we hope to see it become a flagship program attracting a diverse and dynamic cohort of students from across the university,” he said. “�鶹�� goal is to build a robust and supportive learning environment where students from different disciplines can collaborate and learn from one another, fostering a culture of innovation and interdisciplinary excellence.”

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This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at George Mason

Colleen Rich — Thu, 09 May 2024 21:24:11 +0000

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at George Mason Colleen Rich Thu, 05/09/2024 - 17:24

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng has made an impact during her time at George Mason �鶹��, and she isn’t done. After graduating this spring with a bachelor’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution with a concentration in global engagement, and minor in intelligence studies, the Silver Spring, Maryland, native will continue to pursue her master’s degree in international security at the Schar School of Policy and Government through the university’s accelerated master’s program.

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng. Photo provided

Senior of the Year is awarded annually by the George Mason Alumni Association. In nominating Apenteng, her academic advisors at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution—Isaac Jasper, Jane Walker, Averi Jordan—wrote: “From her academic to her professional success, Celine has shown she is leaving the university as an ambassador of the best George Mason has to offer.”

Throughout her college career, Apenteng, who is a member of the Honors College, was active in Student Government, serving as Student Body Vice President in 2022-23 and as Speaker of the Student Senate. She also was a member of President Gregory Washington's Student Advisory Board and co-chair of the Student Advisory Council for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Outside of the classroom, Apenteng held several internships that she said helped shape her as a person and a professional. She interned at the White House in the Office of Public Engagement and U.S. Department of State.

She also started out as an intern at the Carter School’s John Mitchell Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race, which focuses on promoting a more informed public, political, and academic dialogue on the intersections between historical memory, justice, and racial reconciliation. She continues her work with the program as a fellow, documenting the impact of lynching incidents on African American communities and conducting historical archiving to preserve evidence of racial terror.

How have you grown while at George Mason?

Mason has helped me create a life of collaborative relationships instead of competitive ones. When I look for friendships, workspaces, and all other types of connections, I find myself gravitating toward people who want the same, a life filled with supportive people, doing their best, whatever that looks like, and wanting the best for the people around them. I can’t say that wanting that has changed since coming to Mason, but my efforts to seek it out certainly have.

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng with Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of �鶹�� Branding

How did your internships affect your career path?

[The internships] have all offered me different perspectives on what progress looks like for the world. Without a doubt, I can say that the key players are the local leaders we see every day who help us when no one is looking. As people look for opportunities, solutions, and answers, don’t overlook what your local or regional efforts can do for the people you know and the people you don’t.

What’s your best memory at George Mason?

During my junior year, I was Student Body vice president. Although the entire year is filled with great memories, one that sticks out the most is the fall farmer's market. So many people had come out to support the local vendors we had brought to campus, Student Government members were out in full force, and we were all having a great time. We danced to music, played games, and of course ate really good food. Seeing everyone out just happy to be in that environment made me really happy, and I hope that event continues with the same excitement that made so many people feel the presence of true community at Mason.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

You are on time. If you think you’re behind, you're not. There’s no science to living life and college is just one chapter of a (hopefully) very long book! It can be easy to feel like everything is passing you by, but just think back to high school and where you thought you’d be now. Your hopes will change, your dreams will change, and you will change. And that’s all just a part of the process of being alive. So don’t stress about what you can’t control and enjoy what you can.

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Dean Özerdem speaks with WJLA about the life and legacy of Rosalynn Carter

Paul Snodgrass — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:34:16 +0000

Dean Özerdem speaks with WJLA about the life and legacy of Rosalynn Carter Paul Snodgrass Tue, 11/21/2023 - 11:34

WJLA ABC 7News interviewed Dean Özerdem about the life and legacy of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter on Sunday, when she passed away.

Excerpt from the video and article, DMV leaders, organizations react to the death of former first lady Rosalynn Carter, published on November 19th, 2023:

“Considering the scale of mental health challenges and problems we face in our society today and considering she’s been working at this since the 1980s, it really shows her foresight and her deep engagement with our society,” said Alpaslan Özerdem Dean of the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

“She wasn’t just a first lady, she was very close to her husband in different policy-making issues and initiatives, and for example, in the late 1970s during the Camp David Peace Accords between Israel and Egypt, she was there throughout that process and we know that she helped Jimmy Carter in his difficult negotiations,” Özerdem said. “She was with Jimmy Carter on various missions for peace and conflict resolution in the Middle East in Panama and different places.”

When asked to put into words the impact Rosalynn will continue in the DMV, Özerdem said, “Her impact will live with us.”

“I don’t know of many people who really did so much for public service, and we really need to recognize this,” Özerdem said. “In our classrooms at the Carter school, we always underline that.”

If you are a peacemaker, you’ve got to work with communities to make that change, whether that’s in Arlington or Afghanistan,” Özerdem continued. “So yes, Rosalynn Carter and her legacy will live with us here at the Carter school.

- Alpaslan Özerdem

Watch the video and read the full article.

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