An Update from Emily Rice.
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I’m writing with an update on the first year of my Master’s at Columbia, which Mosman Rotary kindly sponsored. I’ve had a wonderful time so far, and am really grateful for the club’s support.
The courses have been fascinating. My favourite were ‘Successes and Failures of Peacemaking,’ taught by the former UN Secretary of Peacekeeping, where we analysed conflicts and peace processes from Rwanda to Afghanistan; and ‘Applied Peacebuilding’, which dealt with practical and ethical components of a career in the peacebuilding field. I did well in my courses, finishing the year with a 4.0 GPA. Outside of class, I was selected as Co-President of the Conflict Resolution Society, which is responsible for holding talks and events related to peacebuilding on campus. Last semester, we held a career panel with alumni from NGOs and the UN, as well as a racial reconciliation event. We’re planning mediation workshops for next semester.
For the next 3 months (the US summer), I will be living in Timor-Leste as part of a placement for the ‘Applied Peacebuilding’ class. I am working and researching with a local conflict prevention NGO called Belun. The focus of my project is adopting a gender-sensitive approach to local conflict resolution, as gender-based violence is a significant issue in Timor. I will then return to NY in September for the final year of the Master’s program.
Overall, it’s been a really interesting first year, I am so grateful to Rotary for making it happen.
My best to everyone at the club.
Regards,
Emily
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She is certainly throwing herself into her course at Columbia Uni NYC and also getting practically involved at Timor-Leste.Emily Rice was our candidate for a Rotary District 9685 Global Grant Scholarship. She won a Scholarship for US$30,000 to study for her Masters in International Affairs, with a specialization in International Conflict Resolution at Columbia University.
