Alumni Activities - Spring 2004

The prominent involvement of Kroc Institute graduates was evident at the International Studies Association annual convention held March 17-20, 2004, in Montreal. "This is the leading place in the world to see what's going on and to shape the nexus between international relations and peace studies," says Robert Johansen, Kroc senior fellow and professor of political science. He reported seeing and hearing six of his former students, now professors at various colleges and universities, present research papers and participate in the Peace Studies section of the association. They were:

Radoslav Dimitrov, Kroc class of ('96), now at the University of Utah, USA
Larissa Fast, ('95), Conrad Grebel University College, Canada
Deb DeLaet, ('91), Drake University, USA
Kurt Mills, ('90), Gettysburg College, USA
Carmela Lutmar, ('95), American University, USA
Jackie Smith, ('92), State University of New York, USA

Larissa Fast, who will be joining the Kroc Institute faculty member in the fall of 2004, met up with two of her class of ’95 classmates at Notre Dame in April. She’s pictured here between Cath Byrne, left, of South Africa; and Estela Roman of Mexico. The occasion was “Tending the Helper’s Fire,” a conference sponsored by Idealist.org and hosted by Kroc Institute. It focused on mitigating trauma and stress for non-governmental organization staff and volunteers. Cath has just been hired as assistant professor of social psychology, with a focus on social justice, at the University of California, Santa Cruz; where she will start in August. Estela is director of the International Center for Cultural and Language Studies (CICE) in Moreles, Mexico.

M.A. program alumni were also well-represented at the Kroc Institute’s
first conference outside of the United States, held March 31-April 3 in Uganda. Eleven alumni met up in Jinja for “Religion in African Conflicts
and Peacebuilding Initiatives.”

Pictured here are, left to right:

Fr. Peter Gichure ('02), Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi
Rosette Muzigo-Morrison ('93), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, The Hague
Lou Nanni ('88), Vice President for University Relations, Notre Dame
Rashied Omar ('01), Coordinator, Kroc Institute Program on Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding
Hal Culbertson ('96), Associate Director, Kroc Institute
Riziki (Mama-Nassir) Shahari ('03), Ulanga District Development Program, Tanzania
George Wachira ('91), Executive Director, Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa
Christine Birabwa-Nsubuga ('03), Human Rights and Peace Center, Kampala, and Uganda Human Rights Commission
Charles Muwunga ('00), Uganda Human Rights Commission; national coordinator, Interfaith Peace Network
Dina Badri ('01), Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan

Martin Ewi ('01), left, arrived in time for the post-conference alumni meeting and a reunion with classmates Dina Badri
and Rashied Omar. Martin is Consultant on Terrorism, Commission of the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 

Nell Bolton ('03), met after the conference in Nairobi, Kenya, with Anne Hayner, Kroc Director of Graduate Student and Alumni Affairs, George Wachira (’91) and Peter Gichure ('02).  Nell is Central Africa Regional Program Manager, Catholic Relief Services, based in Abuja, Nigeria.

 

 

En route to Uganda the travelers from Kroc spent a day in London,
allowing a lunch meeting with Sarah Gillam (’88), shown here in
conversation with her classmate Lou Nanni and Hal Culbertson (’96).

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