Alumni

Amy Belfer ’19

Princeton in Latin America Fellows

“The Peace and Conflict Studies minor taught me to better understand the complexities involved in conflict and structural poverty. The professors encouraged me to follow my passion to do work related to activism and social justice.

“At Elon, I was involved in activism, including protesting for LGBTQIA+ rights, promoting Indigenous Peoples’ Day, working with the Alamance NAACP, and helping found the group Immigrant Realities. The Peace and Conflict Studies minor was always willing to partner on events and provide support.

“I am currently a Princeton in Latin America fellow working with Yspaniola in the Dominican Republic. Peace and Conflict Studies has prepared me to better partner with the community I am working with, to understand the systemic oppression and conflicts communities face, and to work towards promoting positive peace and social justice internationally.”

 

Nicole Harrison ’19

Editor, Global Americans

“I graduated from Elon in 2019 with a double major in International Studies and Spanish, and minors in Peace and Conflict Studies as well as Human Service Studies. As a PCS minor, I really enjoyed the array of classes that addressed topics of peace and conflict from individual to international scales. The coursework to complete the PCS minor not only facilitated my way of thinking about how to approach peace and conflict at an academic level, but it also prepared me for my post-graduate work.

Directly after graduating from Elon, I moved to the Dominican Republic as a Princeton in Latin America fellow working with The DREAM (Dominican Republic Education and Mentoring) Project. At DREAM, I worked as the Libraries and Literacy Programs fellow, working with a range of youth programs focused on promoting literacy skills and engagement in the classroom. While at DREAM, I was able to utilize the knowledge that I learned from PCS, facilitating my communication skills, critical analysis, and overall approach to collaborating with others in a team setting and working to meet the needs of students and teachers.

The PCS minor is a great way to develop critical thinking and problem-solving practices at micro, mezzo, and macro levels. I am so thankful for the thoughtfulness and dedication of the staff within the PCS department, who not only helped me in my coursework but also provided guidance as to how PCS can be applied to my personal and professional life. I am now working as an Editor for a nonprofit that conducts research and analysis on Latin America and the Caribbean – Global Americans – where I continue to engage the PCS lens as a way to constantly question and evaluate the world around me and the various actors within it.”

 

Benjamin Lutz ’17

Communications and Operations Director, Mediators Beyond Borders International

“One of the reasons I applied to Elon in the first place was for the PCS minor. It was the perfect focal point for my studies, showcasing the interdisciplinary and important connections between International & Global Studies, Political Science, Interreligious Studies, and Middle East Studies. During all five of my study abroad experiences, I was able to utilize the perspectives I gained through the PCS to better understand the conflicts and solutions towards peace in the countries I studied in.

“I currently work for Mediators Beyond Borders International, directly using the skills I gained in the PCS minor to focus on enhancing mediative and peacebuilding  practices worldwide. In addition, I am a Rotary Positive Peace activator, an Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) Ambassador, and a Global Peace Chain (GPC) Ambassador which all further amplify the emphasis of the PCS minor. PCS prepared next for the multifaceted and ever-changing work of global mediation and peacebuilding efforts.”