Carter School News

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Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation

Katarina Benson — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:08:06 +0000

Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation Katarina Benson Tue, 08/04/2026 - 15:08

When Avery Cotham, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’26, enrolled at 911��’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, she was ready for a new challenge. For 15 years, Cotham worked as a vocalist and choral director in Colorado before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted her to rethink her career and search for a new way to serve her community.

Cotham at the Department of the Interior.
Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“I did some soul-searching and decided I wanted to make a career change,” Cotham said. “I wanted to do something of service to the community.”

That search led her to conflict resolution — and ultimately to Washington, D.C., where she and her husband relocated so she could fully immerse herself in the 911�� experience. “I didn’t want to study online,” she said. “I wanted to dive into the community and make connections here.”

At 911��, Cotham quickly discovered that the skills she developed as a musician translated naturally into mediation and coaching. Active listening, collaboration, and understanding group dynamics became valuable tools in her new field.

She also took full advantage of internship and professional development opportunities available through the Carter School. After hearing a guest speaker from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service discuss mediation and coaching, Cotham pursued specialized training that would shape her career path.

In 2024, she completed a semester-long internship with the Northern Virginia Mediation Services Conflict Resolution Center, where she earned her mediation certification. The following year, she completed coaching certification coursework through Georgetown School of Continuing Studies.

Those experiences helped prepare her for a yearlong experience, what she calls a “unicorn of an internship,” with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR).

Because of her certifications, Cotham was able to contribute immediately during the yearlong internship. She worked alongside experienced mediators supporting employees across agencies including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Over time, she advanced from co-mediating cases with mentors to independently facilitating workplace mediations, conflict coaching sessions, trainings, and group discussions.

One of the highlights of the experience came when she was selected to travel and co-facilitate a bureau meeting focused on change management and values alignment — a rare opportunity for an intern.

“The internship was focused on mentorship and hands-on experience,” Cotham said. “Working with different mediators, I was exposed to several different styles and received a lot of valuable feedback. It was a highly enriching experience.”

Now, just months after graduating, Cotham has built a multifaceted career as a mediation contractor, private coach, and community mediator. She also volunteers with the Sustained Dialogue Institute and continues to blend her musical background with her coaching work.

“As a choir director, one of my strengths was seeing potential in people and knowing when to push and challenge them, and when to back off,” she said. “Those skills are so applicable in coaching.”

Cotham’s journey reflects the kind of hands-on, career-connected learning opportunities that help 911�� students turn classroom experiences into meaningful professional impact — a hallmark of the university’s All Together Different approach to education and community engagement.

Explore internships at 911��

Topics

Alumni

internships

Mediation

Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit

Paul Snodgrass — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:50:22 +0000

Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit Paul Snodgrass Fri, 07/17/2026 - 16:50

On June 21st, the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911�� hosted a record 63 high school students from around the country for the annual Conflict Resolution Youth Summit (CRYS). This year, students attended CRYS from as far away as New York, San Francisco, and Amman, Jordan.

The program, now in its 10th year, introduces high school students to the field of conflict resolution and associated professional opportunities while teaching foundational skills, such as facilitation, active listening, and negotiation, which are rarely part of the high school curriculum. The students participated in introductory team building activities, fundamental skill building seminars, a movie screening and debrief, and a full-day trip to nearby Washington, D.C.

Additionally, attendees were able to choose from a variety of faculty-led workshop offerings, including nonviolent activism, understanding globalization, and the importance of storytelling in a divided world to further tailor their experience to their interests.

Carter School student Emory Lombino, a member of the CRYS program staff, found the mix of workshops to be engaging and informative, and appreciated the students’ enthusiasm to jump in and answer questions. “I really believe the sessions focused on teaching skills that were useful and engaging for the students, particularly the workshops on Youth Action and Nonviolent Resistance and ‘What Happens There Matters Here,’” Lombino said.

At the conclusion of the four-day summit, students presented a synthesis project to their families during the closing ceremony, identifying a conflict in their school community. Their work drew on their new conflict analysis skills to identify underlying causes and to suggest possible interventions to real conflicts they have experienced in school. Topics presented on ranged from a lack of school spirit and inclusion, to the pressure of standardized testing culture.

Christina Gizzi, a Carter school undergraduate student who participated for the first time this year as program staff was grateful to have met so many wonderful students and was impressed with how caring, thoughtful, and smart the students in her group were. “My favorite moment was after the museum visits, when we were all sitting together at dinner,” she recalled. “The students adopted a wholeheartedness I never expected and were brave and comfortable just being themselves. They were passionate in their work on the synthesis projects and worked hard to create and present actionable solutions for their communities. I’m so happy to have been a part of the summit!”

Their innovative solutions inspired and impressed many in the audience. Kristen Fegan, program director for CRYS, was particularly interested in the interventions for declining school spirit and student engagement. “[The students] decided to create a competition for attending school events, which felt like standard stuff—but then they suggested using a dynamic, algorithm-based system to assign point values to each school event based on its past popularity, gamifying participation and giving the student body a new reason to check-in each day for changing ranks and point values.”

Fegan added, “The way they see their problems and the possible solution is totally different than how we think about it, and their perspective is critical for creating peace in a changing world.”

The summit left a lasting impression on all participants, who walked away with new skills and experiences. Kira, a 12th-grade student from Amman, Jordan, commented, “The summit was engaging and genuinely enjoyable, and everyone was super welcoming. [The program] also gave me a lot to think about when it comes to college and what I want to study. I left the summit with a few new ideas and a better sense of what I might want to go into."

The 11th summer of CRYS is tentatively planned for June 2027.

More Carter School News

Carter School marks first year leading UN academic network on peace and justice
August 11, 2026
Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
Qatar’s role in building sustainable peace
June 2, 2026

Topics

Carter School Undergraduate Program

Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Summer Camps

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges

Paul Snodgrass — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:37:17 +0000

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges Paul Snodgrass Mon, 06/01/2026 - 14:37

In May, Honors College student Avery Shippen graduated from 911�� with a two degrees: A BS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and a BA in Art and Visual Technology from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

To Shippen, the fusion of the two majors, graphic design and conflict resolution, was a natural pairing. “I think both fields work to connect communities. People see conflict resolution as a scientific process, but it’s deeply rooted in people,” she explained. “Graphic design creates a ‘language’ that anyone can understand, which can be effective in the peacebuilding process.”

While managing the workload of a two degrees is impressive, even more impressive is the number of awards and fellowships the University Scholar received during her time at 911��, including a Peraton Scholarship in National Security, Carter School’s Oxford Scholarship, the Noah J. Seidenberg Award, and the Peacebuilding Fellowship.

Shippen said that these scholarships and fellowships provided a financial “safety net,” giving her the ability to gain valuable life experience, such as being the first Carter School student to attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference or to study-abroad in Bosnia and Croatia.

The awards also provided Shippen with the financial freedom to undertake several internships, which allowed her to explore the real-world applications of the skills she learned in both academic programs.

During her time at 911��, Shippen held three internships. One was with the World Affairs Councils of America, where she was employed at a global education Intern and helped coordinate the logistics of an annual event that brings high school students from across the country to Washington, D.C., to learn about global engagement and public diplomacy. Shippen also interned with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency under the Department of War. “I saw each side of government and federal contracting,” she said. “Each had a very different approach to resolving conflict.”

“I sought out opportunities that aligned with my personal values,” Shippen said. “The awards put me in a position to give back and inform other students about the opportunities that exist at Mason.”

The desire to give back also drives her career goals. She said her interest in curriculum development stems in part, from the work she performed as part of the Peacebuilding Fellowship. After researching the Appalachian educational curriculum, Shippen wrote a proposal to the school district that recommended a systemic curriculum change that placed greater emphasis on practical and sustainable life skills and de-emphasized rote memorization.

Shippen’s experience in Bosnia and Croatia also contributed to her interest in educational systems development. While studying ethnic narratives in conflict, Shippen found that each of the three major ethnic groups had their own, independent school system and curriculum. Essentially, how and what students learned in any given subject, depended on the ethnic group to which they belonged.

“After speaking with students there, I realized that the conflict analysis skills I learned can be a valuable tool in engaging youth and educational systems,” she explained.

This fall, Shippen will be continuing her studies at Stanford University where she is entering a master's program in global and comparative education/international education policy analysis.

Carter School News

Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026

Topics

Carter School Undergraduate Program

The making of a Carter School conflict coach

Paul Snodgrass — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:58:50 +0000

The making of a Carter School conflict coach Paul Snodgrass Fri, 05/29/2026 - 09:58

When the time came to apply to graduate school, Oakley Hill applied to a single program: the master’s in conflict analysis and resolution at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911��.

Born and raised in Utah, Hill attended Utah Valley University (UVU) where he majored in integrated studies, focusing on peace and justice and moral philosophy, supplemented with research and critical thinking courses. “From my studies in peace and justice, I knew I wanted to study peace and conflict resolution, and I wanted to be in the D.C. area," said Hill. "I wanted a program that taught practical skills and would help me find a career where I could have a positive, social impact. And the multidisciplinary nature of the program was very appealing.”

Oakley Hill. Photo by Katelyn Smoot.

Hill went on to apply for his PhD at the Carter School after discovering Solon Simmon’s Root Narrative Theory (RNT) during his graduate studies. He knew he wanted to build his career as a researcher around this theory.

"[RNT] helps us understand how people perceive political situations… the specific story they believe themselves to be experiencing,” he said.

For Hill, RNT was more than an abstract, academic tool. “[RNT] helped me understand my own paradigm shifts, such as moving from Mormon to ex-Mormon and from the political right to the left,” he explained.

“I used to think I have ideas, but now I know the ideas have me,” he joked.

In 2024, Hill partnered with Carter School professor Solon Simmons and the Narrative Transformation Lab at the Carter School to employ the first national Justice Languages of America Survey (JLAS). Distributed a week before the presidential election, the survey captured how Americans were thinking about politics just before they voted.

The survey found that, on average, liberals, moderates, and conservatives tended to perceive a distinct political situation. Conservatives tended to perceive a situation where criminals and foreigners threatened the innocent, and the masses coerced citizens, while the state cheated the people. Liberals tended to perceive a situation where the elite divided society, cheated the people, and excluded minorities while the state coerced citizens. Moderates appeared to be self-aware—they scored between conservatives and liberals on almost all JLAS measurements.

Hill also paired the survey with a root narrative analysis of campaign speeches from both presidential candidates. He found that who the candidates are and what they communicated were strongly correlated with how Americans perceive the political situation, and that how they perceived the political situation was strongly correlated with their preferred candidate.

Simmons appreciated Oakley's insights. “His systematic survey of the moral commitments of the great ideologists over the course of modern history is both pathbreaking and eye-opening,” Simmons said. “It has been a pleasure to work with Oakley in the development and application of root narrative theory, an approach that allows us to measure commitments to elementary antagonisms, the philosophical foundations of disagreement.”

While working toward his degree, Hill has been a lab manager for the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and the facilitation coordinator at the Carter School’s Point of View International Retreat and Conference Center (POV), where he has worked since 2021.

Point of View offers many services, including mediation. As the facilitation coordinator, Hill assesses the needs of every client who reaches out to the center in need of mediation. A mediator himself, Hill conducts informal intake interviews to identify the client’s goals and issues, before matching them with an appropriate, experienced mediator.

“Some clients are looking for conflict resolution in a general sense, such as inter- or intra-departmental issues, interpersonal conflict training or restorative justice practices," said Hill. "Other clients are more interested in strategic planning and require a mediator with a relevant background to engage critical thinking.

"[Hill] has proven to be an invaluable asset to Point of View throughout his time at the Carter School. His ability to match clients with the right mediator ensures that each engagement is tailored to the client's unique goals and objectives—and that meaningful resolutions are achieved,” said Jessica Avila-Franco, event and operations manager at Point of View. “Through his work with the facilitation and mediation program here at POV, we have been able to help numerous public- and private-sector clients reach amicable resolutions to their most pressing challenges."

In the past, Hill coordinated with Point of View to provide services to organizations such as Bowie State University, Loudoun County, and Northern Virginia Community College with their facilitation needs. Privately, Hill has worked as a conflict coach for Latter-day Saint and ex-Mormon families, and mediated dialogues for the Washington, D.C., Police.

As he looks ahead, Hill remains grounded in the same motivation that first drew him to the Carter School: a desire to better understand people and help bridge divides. Whether through advancing RNT research or continuing his hands-on work in mediation and conflict coaching, Hill is committed to applying both theory and practice to real-world challenges. By uncovering the stories people believe they are living, he hopes to contribute to more meaningful dialogue—and ultimately, more constructive paths toward resolution.

Learn more about 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

Learn more about the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Carter School News

Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026

Topics

Narrative

Narrative Transformation Lab

Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation

Point of View

In This Story

Solon Simmons

What’s happening at the Center for Peacemaking Practice?

Paul Snodgrass — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:55:53 +0000

What’s happening at the Center for Peacemaking Practice? Paul Snodgrass Thu, 04/30/2026 - 13:55

The Center for Peacemaking Practice (CPP) at 911�� Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution brings together students, faculty, staff, affiliates, and visiting fellows to study conflict resolution practice, integrate practitioner knowledge into theory-building, and develop and share research insights relevant to practice. The center works directly with those engaged in conflict-affected contexts—locally, nationally, and internationally, emphasizing lived experience, field-based knowledge, and practitioner reflection to advance the field and strengthen theory.

Promoting Regional Stability and Peace in the South Caucasus September 2025 Study visit participants during the Carter School student facilitated session. Photo provided.

The center has engaged partners across multiple regions, including Latin America, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the former Soviet space, with a sustained focus on the South Caucasus. This engagement has taken different forms: facilitating practitioner workshops in the field, hosting reflection spaces at the Carter School, building communities of dialogue conveners, and supporting longer-term learning processes that connect experience to analytical and practical tools.

Over the years, the CPP has hosted both individual fellows and group-based programs. These included practitioners such as Alicia Pfund (Latin America), Matthew Graville (USA), and Dina Alborova (Tskhinval/i) and many others.

Occasional study visit programs for emerging and established peacebuilders allow the center to host visitors for short, one- to two-week periods. Some programs have hosted visitors from a wide range of regions, while others engaged participants from selected geographic areas.

In the past, the center has hosted Ukrainian and South Caucasus participants for intensive, learning and practice-oriented engagement, either as individuals or in small groups. For example, the center has hosted very promising young and mid-career peacebuilders such as Leila Sabina and Anna Chernova (Ukraine), Argam Movsisyan, Mher Taroyan and Hasmik Harutyunyan (Armenia), Nino Khalvashi, Dato Dolaberidza, Elene Tuzbaia (Georgia), Jalala Hajieva and Rahman Huseynzade (Azerbaijan).

Promoting Regional Stability and Peace in the South Caucasus September 2025 Study visit participants meeting with Dr. Janette Muir, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Photo provided.

The CPP approaches new study visit opportunities with careful consideration. For example, the center’s leadership, including Carter School faculty members Susan Allen and Margarita Tadevosyan, is currently in exploratory conversations with young peace practitioners from Tbilisi, Sukhum/i and Tskhinval/i, identifying their interest, availability and capacity to participate in a specially curated digital media creators’ community of practice study visit to Mason in Fall 2026.

The CPP team has been in conversation with Mariami Shonia, Arnold Dzari-ipa, Giorgi Rivzhadze, Maria Khachirova, Eleonora Tchania, Adelina Umurzakova, Vitallii Kokoskeriia and Revaz Koiava—highly motivated, young peace actors whose perspectives reflect evolving approaches to peace in their home communities. One of the center’s goals is to work with digital media creators to address the growing role of digital spaces in shaping conflict narratives and public engagement.

Promoting Regional Stability and Peace in the South Caucasus September 2025 Study visit meeting at the Alliance for Peacebuilding in Washington D.C. Photo provided.

As the center explores program funding opportunities, the team is working to plan and implement an in-person program that will convene practitioners and media actors to deepen their skills, exchange perspectives, and develop more conflict-sensitive approaches to communication in and between their home communities.

Interested in gaining this kind of hands-on experience? Learn more about our admissions process or apply to the Carter School today.

Learn more about the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Carter School News

Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026

Topics

Center for Peacemaking Practice

Meet the Two Carter Undergraduates Who Presented at the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference

Paul Snodgrass — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:20:50 +0000

Meet the Two Carter Undergraduates Who Presented at the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference Paul Snodgrass Mon, 04/27/2026 - 11:20

Two undergraduate Carter School students, Lisa Misaki Gray, a fourth-year student with minors in criminology and Russian language, and Christina Gizzi, a third-year Honors College student with a minor in global affairs, presented their research at the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference.

Lisa Misaki Gray, Karina Korostelina, and Christina Gizzi. Photo provided.

The conference was held March 23-29 at Oxford University, UK, and was organized by the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights (OCHR). They attended the event with Carter School professor Karina Korostelina, who was also a presenter at the consortium. The trip was funded through the generous support of Carter School donors.

“This is exactly the kind of life-changing experience we want our students to have,” said Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “Opportunities like this expand their horizons, build confidence, and connect them to global conversations in ways that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom. I am deeply grateful to our donors whose generosity makes these transformative experiences possible.”

Christina Gizzi at the Bodleian Library's Radcliffe Camera building. Photo provided.

Gray and Gizzi found the invitation to apply through the Carter School newsletter. They both applied to attend the conference, were interviewed by professors, and were selected to attend. Gray, who knows one of the students who made the trip last year, was very interested in attending. Gizzi, who had applied last year, was encouraged to reapply after taking a class with the professor who previously interviewed her.

When asked why they were so interested in the consortium and Oxford in particular, Gray commented “Oxford is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. How could I not want to go!? The Secret History by Donna Tartt is also one of my favorite books, and in this book, there's also a prestigious university with secret libraries and secret organizations similar to Oxford, which made me even more excited to attend.”

Gizzi echoed Gray's sentiment, “I was excited for the opportunity to learn from the scholars at the historical university, and shortly after arriving, I learned Oxford claims to be the oldest university. I also love architecture, and the opportunity to see Harry Potter-esque architecture was very appealing.”

Gray and Gizzi presenting their work. Photo provided.

At the consortium, the pair presented their research, "Silence Breakers in Our Local Communities: Advocacy and Local Peacebuilding." Because peacebuilding has historically been dominated by international organizations and aimed at appeasing international stakeholders, they chose instead to focus on the impact of empowering local peacebuilding efforts.

"Although communities have been given more agency, it is not enough. Using two case studies, we illustrated that even before community, successful local peacebuilding comes from the individual. You cannot expect others to change their actions or change the world; change must start within yourself," they noted.

Their presentation was well received, receiving numerous compliments and opening the door for future conversations. "Students and faculty approached us later in the day and told us stories about their similar experiences and challenges," they said.

Karina Korostelina, Christina Gizzi, and Lisa Misaki Gray. Photo provided.

Korostelina, their faculty liaison and mentor, who also presented at the consortium with colleague Hugo Slim on the topic of civilian devastation and human rights during the war, was proud of the work her students had done.

"It was a thoughtful and compelling presentation. Their work stood out not only for its clarity, but for its grounded, practical vision. Their core message: 'Peace starts with you,' was both powerful and actionable. They moved beyond slogans to outline a systemic approach to peacebuilding, operating at multiple levels: the individual (values, responsibility, everyday choices), the organizational (initiatives, partnerships, advocacy), and the social movement level (collective action, public engagement, narrative change)."

Korostelina also added that equally impressive was the duo's emphasis on collaboration. Gray and Gizzi highlighted the Carter School’s partnership with Rotary International, demonstrating how cross-sector engagement can translate ideas into concrete initiatives—from dialogue and community projects to broader peacebuilding efforts.

"Their presentation had a great balance of critical reflection and constructive pathways forward," Korostelina said. "It is a strong reminder that the next generation of peacebuilders is not only deeply informed, but also ready to act—with intention, creativity, and a commitment to impact."

Korostelina was also greatly impressed by the knowledge demonstrated by Gray and Gizzi. She proudly shared that, on one of the last days of the consortium, a guest speaker was discussing peacebuilding and asked the attendees to define peacebuilding and the differences between terms like mediation and negotiation. Gray's response prompted the speaker to ask, "Did you, by chance, work for the UN?"

When asked about presentations that stood out to them, Gizzi recalled a presentation that discussed the conflicting interests of human and environmental rights. During the presentation, the host related a story about Chilean fishermen who were shooting sea lions. However, the fishermen were not killing the sea mammals for their skins, but because the animals were preying upon the fishermen's catches before they could be pulled in, raising difficult questions about how to balance the fishermen's livelihood against conservation interests. Gray agreed and recalled a presentation by a researcher who worked with Indigenous communities in Malaysia and the visible impact of declining populations of native species. "It really stuck with me," she said. "I discovered a new interest in tracking environmental change and species loss."

Lisa Misaki Gray. Photo provided.

Now, a month later, Gray looks back on the academic and personal impact of the experience. “I am so grateful to have had the chance to attend such a prestigious university for a week and learn from their guest speakers, students, and faculty. Everyone there had so much experience, knowledge and insight, and I felt like a sponge absorbing all this information and processing it. I loved meeting everyone there and learning about their lives and experiences. It truly opened my eyes to how bright the world can be despite the struggles we face.”

Gizzi also described the consortium as a once-in-a lifetime opportunity. “[The consortium] was full of new knowledge, friends, and networks, opening a wider range of opportunities to come. The sightseeing, lectures, company, and snacks—including tea time—made it a life-changing and unforgettable experience. I am truly grateful for the opportunity and would recommend it to everyone!”

Carter School News

Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026

In This Story

Alpaslan Özerdem

Karina Korostelina

Topics

Carter School Undergraduate Program

Human Rights

Honors College

Honors College student brews connections with tea talks

Paul Snodgrass — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:28:04 +0000

Honors College student brews connections with tea talks Paul Snodgrass Tue, 03/31/2026 - 18:28

When Jonathan Fang, an Honors College student and a fourth-year undergraduate student at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911��, began his internship at the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation (MHCR), he had no idea that he would be facilitating a multi-cultural student dialogue group.

Jonathan Fang. Photo provided

During his internship with MHCR, Fang and his supervisor, Rowda Olad, a mental health and psychosocial support expert and associate director of the MHCR, came upon the idea of developing a series of student-focused conversations on difficult, but relevant topics to students and inviting different cultural and ethnic student groups to participate.

Fang hoped that through these conversations students would learn to challenge their assumptions, appreciate different points of view, and respectfully agree to disagree on sensitive topics in an open and judgement-free space.

Discussion topics are pulled from complex real-life issues facing college students. Past topics have included mental health and well-being, race and ethnicity, political polarization, and interpersonal relationship reconciliation.

The idea for Tea Talk originated with the tradition of Somali tea gatherings called Casiriya, where the communities would gather resolve disputes, and is based on the work Olad performed in Eastern Africa.

Fang continues the Somali tradition by serving traditional Somali tea and sambusas, a pastry similar to a samosas, at every session.

According to Fang, the first Tea Talk mostly consisted of Carter School Ambassadors, but has since grown to include members of the Christian fellowship student group CRU, the African Student Association, the Muslim Student Association, the College Republicans at Mason, and several other organizations. Currently, the discussion series averages a dozen student attendees per event and is preparing for its fifth monthly session.

Fang is pleased with the success of the dialogue series and hopes it will continue to grow. “It’s great to see students willing to step out of their comfort zone, open up in honest conversation with care and understanding, and listen to different or conflicting perspectives," he said.

When asked about the long-term vision for Tea Talk, Fang replied, “We’re looking to deepen and expand its impact both on campus and globally. This includes strengthening university connections and building sustained engagement among students.”

Currently, Fang is participating in a study-abroad trip to the Philippines, where he hopes to explore how to build similar programs and to facilitate the exchange of peacebuilding practices in cross-cultural settings.

For information about upcoming Tea Talk sessions, please visit the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation for dates and times.

More Carter School News

Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026

Topics

student organizations

A Focus on Peace Week: Navigating the Impact of Changes in Climate Governance on Fragile States

Paul Snodgrass — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 20:25:35 +0000

A Focus on Peace Week: Navigating the Impact of Changes in Climate Governance on Fragile States Paul Snodgrass Mon, 03/23/2026 - 16:25

On Thursday, April 16, the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 911�� will host the virtual panel discussion “Navigating the Impact of Changes in Climate Governance on Fragile States.” Presented as part of the Carter School’s 2026 Peace Week, the event will examine shifts in the global climate governance landscape and identify emerging institutional and governance gaps.

Engy Said. Photo provided

The discussion will be facilitated by Counsellor Engy Said, a Carter School PhD candidate and Egyptian diplomat, and Diego Osorio, a senior policy advisor, former Canadian diplomat, professor, and government official. Said and Osorio were also Harvard Fellows together in International Affairs.

Said brings more than 20 years of experience in diplomacy and international affairs, climate change, and sustainable development. Osorio is a practitioner and academic specializing in climate change and conflict, with nearly three decades of experience working in regions such as Iraq, Southeast Asia, and Haiti with organizations including the United Nations, NATO, the World Bank, and the Government of Canada.

The panel builds on recent efforts to better connect climate action with peace and development agendas. It comes at a time of shifting global priorities that are reshaping climate governance and placing additional pressure on fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where climate risks intersect with political and institutional challenges.

Diego Osorio. Photo provided

“Climate security isn’t a future concern, it’s already shaping how we govern, protect, and adapt,” Osorio said.

Said adds, “Addressing climate change without considering conflict dynamics overlooks the lived realities of the most vulnerable, particularly in fragile contexts.”

The session will bring together experts in water and food security, climate diplomacy, and peace operations, including Hans Ibbrek of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Tatiana Miškova, Slovenian ambassador for water diplomacy; Jeff Helsing of the Better Evidence Project; Khaled El Taweel, senior programmers coordinator at FAO; and Cedric de Coning, senior research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).

To learn more about this panel discussion, as well as other Peace Week events, visit the Carter School Website.

More Carter School News

Building Peace
August 6, 2026
Carter School alumna finds harmony between music and mediation
August 4, 2026
Celebrating a Decade of Impact at the 10th Conflict Resolution Youth Summit
July 17, 2026
University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026

Topics

Peace Week

Better Evidence Project

Campus News

PhD student Olesya Vartanyan briefs U.S. Congress on the political situation in Georgia

Paul Snodgrass — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:53:11 +0000

PhD student Olesya Vartanyan briefs U.S. Congress on the political situation in Georgia Paul Snodgrass Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:53

On February 11, 2026, Olesya Vartanyan, a first-year PhD student at 911��'s Carter School and conflict analyst with more than 15 years of field experience in the South Caucasus, took part in a congressional briefing on the political situation in Georgia. The event was hosted by the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a bipartisan body bringing together members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In recent years, the commission has been a leading voice in shaping U.S. policy toward Georgia, particularly following the country’s political crisis triggered by the disputed parliamentary elections of 2024.

Olesya Vartanyan. Photo provided

Vartanyan was invited to share her assessment of developments in Georgia and to outline possible pathways toward resolving the protracted political standoff. Her long-standing work on conflict dynamics, negotiation processes, and crisis management in the region formed the basis of her recommendations.

This was not her first engagement with the U.S. Congress. In 2020, she testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the situation in Georgia’s conflict regions, which remain disputed territories following multiple wars involving Russia. In 2024, she also briefed members of Congress on developments between Armenia and Azerbaijan after renewed cycles of violence in their decades-long conflict.

Her most recent appearance came at a particularly sensitive moment. More than a year into Georgia’s political crisis, tensions remain high between the ruling authorities and opposition forces. The Georgian leadership has sought to reset relations with the current U.S. administration, amid ongoing international concerns regarding the 2024 election results in Georgia, the detention of opposition figures, and the adoption of restrictive legislation affecting civil society. At the same time, the European Union has signaled the possibility of additional measures in response to democratic backsliding.

Olesya Vartanyan testifying before a hearing of Helsinki Commission leadership from the House and Senate in 2024.

The congressional event also took place against a broader geopolitical backdrop. The United States has shown increased interest in expanding trade and transport connectivity between Central Asia and Europe through the South Caucasus. Following U.S.-facilitated diplomatic efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2025, Washington has emphasized regional stability as a strategic priority.

In her remarks, Vartanyan structured her recommendations around three core lessons drawn from Georgia’s own political history. She argued that any sustainable reset in U.S.-Georgia relations must be grounded in a genuine political settlement inside the country. She outlined a roadmap centered on inclusive dialogue, compromise across political divides, and a longer-term vision for institutional reform.

“No process will succeed without a real prospect of equal access to power for all political groups,” she stated, arguing that technical reforms alone are insufficient if political actors do not believe that power can change hands peacefully. The process, she suggested, should include elements of transitional justice as well as political agreements capable of restoring public trust.

The United States, she noted, remains uniquely positioned to encourage meaningful dialogue. “No process can succeed without a strong external guarantor,” she said, referencing earlier moments when international mediation helped overcome political stalemate in Georgia.

She also cautioned that U.S. sanctions should be used strategically and paired with diplomacy. Drawing on comparative experience, she observed that punitive measures are most effective when complemented by political engagement; absent diplomatic follow-up, they risk entrenching positions and increasing pressure on vulnerable groups within society.

Linking domestic reform to international strategy, Vartanyan warned that “without meaningful contribution to a political resolution, no reset in U.S.–Georgia relations will be sustainable.” If the structural roots of the crisis remain unaddressed, she argued, Georgia risks entering repeated cycles of instability, with consequences for its sovereignty and for broader regional security.

The briefing attracted considerable attention both in Georgia and among policymakers in the United States and Europe. Broadcast live, it was followed by viewers in Georgia despite the late hour. Local media outlets widely reported on the discussion, and transcripts of Vartanyan’s remarks circulated in both English and Georgian. Commentators across the political spectrum described the proposals as a structured and actionable roadmap for beginning a credible political process.

Although Georgia’s political crisis remains unresolved, the congressional exchange reinforced the central message of her intervention: that stability cannot be achieved through tactical resets alone. By linking domestic political reform to broader regional and strategic considerations, Vartanyan’s remarks positioned crisis resolution not as a concession to one side, but as a prerequisite for Georgia’s long-term resilience and for effective U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus. At a moment of heightened polarization, her intervention introduced a policy framework that moved the discussion from managing crisis to resolving it.

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