Category: Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution OSCAR

Professional Engineering Credentialing Inequity and its Impact on Professional Formation of Engineers.

Author(s): Bai Foday Sesay

Mentor(s): Girum Urgessa, Civil-Engineering and infrastructure

Abstract

Civil engineering has many pathways to professional licensure, the most common being engineering b.s and engineering technology degrees. For civil engineers, professional
engineering licensure is the first step in career mobility, but the requirements for licensure vary statewide, especially for engineering technologists. Engineering technologists generally have different work experience requirements for all U.S. states and territories. In my research, I will be analyzing the inequities in PE licensure pathways. Attempting to collect information on underrepresented demographics in engineering technology, the difference in licensure pathways, the attitudes of faculty and students on the curriculum, and the impacts of credentialing on the graduates of engineering technologists. The goal of my research is to give a scope of awareness to the impact of inconsistent licensure to jurisdiction in hopes of a change in curriculum or pathway allowance for engineer technologists.

Audio Transcript

Today I am going to present my research on the Professional Engineering Credentialing Inequity and its Impact on Professional Formation of Engineers.

My research explores the relationship between engineering b.s and engineering technology, PE licensure pathways
The goal of my research is to expand the scope of inconsistent licensure amongst engineering technologists so that they are more informed about the obstacles in their career path.

My questions are the following What are the trends in the degree production of Engineering technology graduates for the past 5 years considering degrees awarded, discipline types, gender, and race?

What are the major or subtle differences in licensure pathway requirements for Engineering vs Engineering technologist graduates in different U.S. jurisdictions?

What are the attitudes of engineering and engineering technology faculty and current students towards the variability of PE credentialing and the adequacy of their curriculums in explaining the importance of licensure?

What are the inequitable impacts of PE credentialing on the professional formation of Engineering Technologists graduates as observed by accreditation evaluators and licensing board members?

Engineers b.s and engineer technologists are accredited by the same accreditation board (ABET) but engineer technologists are often regarded as sub-par in comparison and are not encouraged to grow in their field because of the extra requirements for professional engineering licensure compared to Engineering B.S

Engineers and engineering technologists are similar in education as Both require 4 years of schooling, and both are educated on the basics of math and science and applied engineering concepts, but the main difference is that engineer b.s typically focuses more on theory and concepts and engineering technologists tend to work on more hands-on applications and use more on-field technology which uses less math in their curriculum.

These differences are what cause the licensure differences between the two pathways. Although most states allow PE licensure for engineering technologists most states have different requirements for attaining the license. Usually, engineering technologist PE licensure Pathway is required to have more experience and in some cases extra coursework that must be completed. While B.S. civil engineering degrees mostly have similar pathways for licensure with some outliers being an extra 1 year required experience difference.

With different jurisdictions having different licensure requirements, including some states the license being completely unattainable, PE licensure is not emphasized consistently in the engineering technology curriculum. which can be an obstacle to the student’s professional development. In our research, we will be collecting the PE licensure requirements for all 50 states, specifically the work experience required. The Pathways we will be considering for research are engineering technologists, non-abet accredited engineering degrees, and engineering b.s. So far we have concluded that almost 50 % of the states require an additional 2-4 years on top of the 4-year experience requirement that engineering b.s have. Also, most of those educational requirements are not met by around 30 percent of states, which means they have to take additional classes in order to qualify for licensure.

After this step, we analyze the underrepresented demographics in engineering b.s compared to engineering technologists.
Collect information on the organizations affecting PE licensure requirements.
Conduct electronic Surveys of PE licensure awareness in engineering students and faculty
Then conduct in-person interviews with engineering technology program evaluators

The goal of this research is to give a scope of awareness to the impact of inconsistent licensure to jurisdiction in hopes of a change in curriculum or Pathway allowance for engineer technologists.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution OSCAR

Perception of Multiculturalism in South Korea

Author(s): Sena Julsdorf

Mentor(s): Arthur Romano, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

South Korea, a historically homogenous country, has seen a rise of multiculturalism and incoming foreigners within the nation. As a result, there has been a shift in the perception and acceptance of multiculturalism and what it means within the South Korean community. Multiculturalism has been deemed a phenomenon that South Korean citizens are reluctant to accept; with previous research highlighting the homogenous history and the ideals of “Korean superiority” as roots of why there is a restraint on integrating with incoming migrants. Korean society has struggled with accepting the idea of a diversified nation, with ideals of being a true “Korean” being rooted in nationalism and ethnic identity. We explore the existing bodies of work on South Korean ethnocentrism alongside language that is used in Korean media to represent multiculturalism to determine the stance that the Korean population takes on developing multiculturalism. Existing works have explored the notion of a lack of multicultural acceptance and potentially unfavorable language that is being used in South Korean media but has been unable to find replacements for said language and attitudes. The research will utilize surveys and interviews with South Korean nationals, Korean Americans and non-Korean individuals who have lived in South Korea to assess the experiences of a sample population to identify reoccurring themes, and to identify the type of language being employed to represent multiculturalism in South Korea, and what language could potentially be used in place of metaphors which present negative stigmas.

Audio Transcript

A North Korean Major once said “Not even one drop of ink must be allowed into the Han river.” In his sentiments, the drop of ink referred to any foreigner living in Korea, and the Han river, the beauty of the Korean heritage – to him, foreign blood was a pollutant. 96% of South Korea is homogenous. With a long standing history of pride in their nation and an emphasis on a single bloodline, South Korean nationalism has resulted in hesitance to accept the developing multiculturalism in South Korea.A common phrase used in the United States to describe the multitude of cultures in the nation is “melting pot.” South Korea has no notable phrases or metaphors which are used to describe the growing multiculturalism in the nation, but rather phrases to represent specific phenomena, such as “다문화 가정” meaning “multicultural family,” and “결혼 이민자” meaning marriage immigrant. However, there are words in the language used to describe elements of multiculturalism that have negative and harmful connotations. Slurs for people of darker skin tones, and the word “잡종” to describe mixed individuals, which directly translates into “mutt”.Regardless of the attitudes that exist towards it – the development of multiculturalism seems to be an inevitable phenomenon in South Korea. Thus, we aimed to find a replacement for the adverse language which exists to better represent the developing foreign population, while also attempting to take steps for more positive attitudes from South Korean nationals. Thus, we developed our research question: What is the perception of multiculturalism in Korea and how has the representation of multiculturalism in Korean media affected international residents migrating to South Korea, specifically in regards to language? A researcher Shen describes the Korean approach to acceptance of multiculturalism using the term “bibimbap” – a traditional Korean dish. He states that similarly to the dish, no matter how hard you try to mix up the elements of the dish together, they are their own separate entity – and this is the same for South Korea’s approach to accepting multiculturalism. The efforts in integrating foreigners and migrants are not focused on providing an understanding to Korean locals and nationals on those who migrate to South Korea, but rather support to the multicultural individuals and groups without involving South Korean nationals. However, if change is to be made, we must understand the experiences of all of those who are a part of the growing multiculturalism. Thus, we attempted to do so through interviewing and surveying 3 categories of individuals, South Korean nationals, Korean-Americans, and non-Koreans who have lived in Korea. From that point on, we identified the harmful languages, the experience of those who are in proximity to the growing multiculturalism and the roots of ethnic identity and nationalism to determine what steps could be taken to replace the existing terminology. The questions we developed aimed to explore if there were differences in the perspectives between ethnic Koreans and non-Koreans who had resided in Korea, and why these discrepancies existed. Additionally, we continued our research through thematic analysis of existing scholarly works to find if there were any trends in the language used to describe multiculturalism in Korea, to determine if it was negative or positive and what language could potentially replace it. Several sources have explored the reluctance to accept multiculturalism by South Korean nationals. Some cite that the reluctance is not rooted in the homogeneous nature of South Korea, as several other sources have argued, but rather that there is a focus on South Korean “superiority.. In this sense, being a South Korean is “better” than the out-groups of incoming immigrants and foreigners. This sense of South Korean superiority may be a result of the roots of nationalism in the nation, and it is evident that to be “Korean” means something very specific to South Korean nationals; and although sources argue that the homogeneity is separate from this ideology, an element of being truly “Korean” to those from Korea is based on ideas of race and ethnicity. This ideology creates a social hierarchy within the nation based on ethnicity and race. The word for mixed-race in Korea is “혼혈”. However, the word literally translates into “mixed-blood”. The emphasis on a pure bloodline weighs heavily, even in the single term. Any disturbance is impure. It is now mixed, it is a drop of ink in their beloved Han river.The lack of vocabulary and metaphors to represent the growing multiculturalism shows that although Korea has begun to take steps towards acceptance and integration, it must continue to do so to an even greater degree. Korea will continue to phase multiculturalism – the only question is if they will choose to find ways to accept it and progress, or if they will continue to push the narratives of their ancestors, and of the single bloodline, and create borders even within their own nation. To conclude, I’d like to thank a few people without whom this research would not have been possible. Thank you to my advisor, Dr. Arthur Romano who gave me the inspiration to begin this project and has shared his support and knowledge with me throughout the process. Thank you to Dr. Karen Lee and the OSCAR program at George Mason University.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution College of Humanities and Social Science OSCAR

Ava Smigliani- Reclaiming Silenced Histories

Author(s): Ava Smigliani

Mentor(s): Charles Chavis, Conflict Resolution and History, Carter School

Abstract

This summer, I worked with Dr. Chavis on a handful of projects through Reclaiming Silenced Histories. This included administrative work with the Dark Branch Descendants Association, a group of descendants of enslaved individuals in a few plantations along the Cape Fear in North Carolina. This included setting the organization up as a nonprofit, and grant writing. I also did a lot of research, working to uncover the histories of their ancestors, and creating a narrative of plantation history that centers the enslaved.
I also worked in the archival framework through the Chipman Center, working to archive and preserve their cultural materials. The Chipman Center is set to be one of several networks of independently owned and operated archives, operated by communities, for communities. I did archiving, digitization, and organization of the Chipman Center archives.
Through this program, I gained incredible amounts of career experience, and was able to network in a way I have never had the opportunity to before. Working as a historian, the field can be tough to break into, and the STIP program gave me the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of different subjects relating to historic research. I was also able to work one on one with Dr. Chavis, a professional in the field, and was able to learn a lot about how it operates.

Audio Transcript

I have removed filler words, such as “˜um,’ and “˜uh,’ for the sake of clarity

Throughout the summer, I worked with Dr. Chavis on a handful of different projects through Reclaiming Silenced Histories. I mostly worked through the Dark Branch Descendants association. Based out of North Carolina in an area along the Cape Fear called Plantation Row, there are a number of plantations, largely, the history of these plantations centers around the owners of these plantations. However, those who stewarted and worked the land for over a hundred years were not, in fact, the owners, but they were the enslaved individuals. The Dark Branch Descendants Association is a group of descendants of these enslaved West Africans along the Cape Fear in North Carolina, and wants specifically to center the narrative around enslaved individuals, while also centering it around the wants and needs of the descendants, who are still alive. Through this project, I provided mostly research and administrative support, working on making the association a nonprofit, and doing all the paperwork that comes with that, as well as writing different grants so the association can function as an organization, and working to plan the creation of a cultural center, so their cultural resources and stories can be told. The goal of my research specifically was also to create a cohesive narrative, to have a sort of understanding of exactly what individuals were doing in their day to day life, how they functioned, what their traditions were, those kinds of things. As part of this research, I had the opportunity to go down to North Carolina to do some of this research, working in archives, coordinating with local historians, planning with the association in person, doing some document and archive cataloging.

A secondary project I also worked on was in Salisbury Maryland through the Chipman center. Dr. Chavis also works directly in communities who want to set up an archive of their own cultural resources. For many organizations, specifically cultural and in communities, having their documents and cultural artifacts preserved means they have to be turned over to a third party institute, whether that be a university, or a larger cultural center, which can be a barrier to getting these kinds of documents and archival sourced publicly available and well preserved. So Dr. Chavis is working to create a network of these different independent archives. Sort of, we give them the resources, the manpower if necessary, to catalog, digitize, sort through documentation on their own, so they have control over their own cultural resoufes. Specifically, I worked to setup the framework for how these resources could be archived, worked on organizing documents, and participated in the archiving itself. And, In Salisbury, Maryland, which is where the Chipman Center is located, we also worked to support the community through helping with the cultural center, as well as helping with the Juneteenth parade.

So the opportunity through STIP has given me invaluable experience, both career wise, and personally. So, I study history, however, you tend to be a little removed from the information or the people that you’re researching. This gave me the opportunity to work directly with these communities, and do work that I feel is important, instead of doing something I’m a bit removed from. I also had the opportunity to network with a lot of local historians, which is an opportunity I definitely would not have had otherwise. Career wise, I’ve had the opportunity to do grant writing and archiving, which is something that is sort of difficult to get into. And I also worked with metadata and digitization, which is an incredible skill, as well as sort of understanding historic preservation, how that process works, working through National Park Service grants, getting something on the Register of Historic Places, and all of those kinds of things. The opportunities that I have had through this program are things that I never would have had otherwise. It was absolutely wonderful to work on projects that I am incredibly passionate about. A great thing about the STIP program, and OSCAR in general, is getting to work directly with a professional in the field I want to get into, as a historian, and this has given me the opportunity to get that one on one experience that I definitely would not have been able to get otherwise, and I am incredibly thankful for what this program has been able to do for me.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

John Mitchell Jr. Program: Research and Exploration

Author(s): Celine Apenteng

Mentor(s): Charles Chavis, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

Over the past year, I have been working with the John Mitchell Jr. Program to create a TRUTH Commission with the city of Salisbury, MD. Our work has centered around addressing the de facto segregation and racial terror that has left entire communities desolate and abandoned. My work with the city, though on going, has lost much steam as many road blocks have prevented the creation of the commission as we fail to hold meetings, or event solidify the requested amount of members. During this presentation, I will review the John Mitchell Jr. Program under which I work, the partners I’ve worked with to create a TRUTH Commission, and the future of my work as we overcome roadblocks to racial healing.

Audio Transcript

Hello! My name is Celine Apenteng and I am currently a rising senior at George Mason University, studying conflict analysis and resolution with a concentration in Global Engagement and minors in Data Analysis and intelligence analysis.
Over the pas summer, I have been a part of the Student Internship Program under OSCAR and I’m here to tell you about the research project that I’ve been doing that had actually started in 2021. For starters, I have been working with the John Mitchell Jr. Program. This program works to progress the aspiration of racial equity and justice. To realize this, JMJP engages four mutually-supportive forms of practice. Those include narrative change, student programs, activism partnerships, and social media engagement. We focus on narrative change through community-led scholarship to ensure that what we do doesn’t change the history, but changes the way we tell it. We want to make sure that everyone whose history has been lost, who has been hidden in full view, is known for who they are and not what had happened to them. We center ourselves around student programs to make sure that our future is well maintained by the rising scholars of today. Further more, we focus on activism partnerships nationally, state-wide, and locally to make sure that we are engaging everyone we can; just as we do our social media to ensure that everyone knows of the projects we’re doing. The partners that I’ve been working with at The John Mitchell Jr. Program include director Charles Chavis listed at the top, as well as founder of The Wicomico Truth and Reconciliation Initiative, James Yamakawa, shown second. As well as Monica Brooks, President of the Wicomico NAACP branch, as well as the Maryland Lynching Committee. And last, but certainly not least, if not most importantly, the City of Salisbury and the Charles Chipman Cultural Center. Now many of you may be asking what I’m actually doing. I’ve been working to establish a truth commission in the city of Salisbury to address the racial degradation and targeting that has taken place over the past few decades. A couple decades ago, the city decided to build two major highways through the middle of city, destroying the black community there. Because of tat, many families, many legacies, and many homes were lost completely. they were destroyed, they were removed, and they were forgotten, 100% on purpose. Now my work as been made to cultivate a TRUTH commission so that we can address a lot of the de facto segregation and racial destruction that continues to be perpetuated against the Black and African-American community in the area. I have collaborated with city officials as well as other partners such as James Yamakawa and Monica Brooks to figure out who should sit on the TRUTH Commission so they can recommend strong policies that could be put into effect by former Mayor Day. Unfortunately the truth commission has come to a halt because of the lack of the communication between the city and us. Because of that, we are trying to out together a force to ensure that the Black and African-American community is not only preserved, but fought for. Our work as been descendent lead by descendants of the victims of racial aggression to ensure that not only are we sticking up for what is right, but so they are able to speak for themselves and so we can do what is right on behalf of them. Because the commission has been stalled, the next thing for us to do is, one, continue archiving the historic impact of the racial impacts on Black and African-American communities there. Two, build a coalition that can create partnerships between the local communities in the area that are struggling to survive because of de facto segregation and attacks. And last but not least, we will maintain of descendent lead efforts to make sure that what we’re doing is not only right by them, but right by the people that come after them. Thank you for listening, and I’m happy to answer any questions you have on my research.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution OSCAR

JMJP Fellowship

Author(s): Leona Dominguez-Mueller

Mentor(s): Charles Chavis, Conflict Resolution and History, Carter School

Abstract

This summer I worked with the John Mitchell Jr. Program as a Fellow focused on Criminal Justice Case research, Advocacy, and Archiving. Throughout the summer, I researched 3 main cases, two in Wallace, NC, and one in Richmond, VA as well as working in Salisbury, MD to complete archival work. The research for the three cases involved obtaining background information victims, two who passed away in their cases, and sending data to either my director or directly to Emancipate NC, an organization devoted to social and legal justice. My research centered not only around the background of each case, but the individual factors that made these cases stand out in their unjust manner. The goal of my ongoing research and work with JMJP is to understand racial inequities in law, find direct correlations in access to medical help and care, and to advocate for the families of the victims and their communities in hopes of closing the gap in access to resources and treatment. While each victim had severe mental illnesses, the outcomes were very different between the White male in distress and the Black male in Wallace. Part of the research that I did was uncovering the lack of mental health resources in rural areas, the unequal social environment of Wallace, and the impact they have on people suffering from mental illness. Furthermore, I worked as an archivist for the Chipman (Archives for Racial and Cultural Healing) with the Charles Chipman Cultural Center in Salisbury, which is a digital archive preserving the Black community of what once was Georgetown. For the A.R.C.H. I worked with JMJP to organize, store, and preserve artifacts given to the Chipman Center by descendants/survivors of the town in order to keep their stories alive by providing resources versus owning each artifact or database ourselves.

Audio Transcript

Hello! My name is Leona Dominguez Mueller; I’ve been working with the John Mitchell Jr. Program and I put together some highlights of the work I’ve been doing this summer, and I’ll explain it all as we go. So I have been working as a Fellow focused on Criminal Justice Case research, Case Advocacy, and Archiving. Throughout the summer, I researched 3 particular cases, two in Wallace, NC, and one in Richmond, VA as well as working in Salisbury, MD to complete archival work. The research done for the three cases involved obtaining background information on each victim, two who passed away in their cases, and in the main case I worked on I was in charge of sending the data to either my director or directly to Emancipate NC, a non-profit organization devoted to social and legal justice. My research centered not only around the background of each case, but the individual factors that made these cases stand out in their unjust manner. Each victim suffered from mental illnesses, and the two police encounters with Black victims ended in their death. The goals of my ongoing research and work with JMJP are to understand racial inequities in law, find direct correlations in access to medical help and care, and to advocate for the families of the victims and their communities in hopes of closing the gap in access to resources and treatment. While each victim had severe mental illnesses, the outcomes were vastly different between the White male in distress and the Black male in Wallace. Part of the research that I did for Emancipate and JMJP was uncovering the lack of mental health resources in rural areas, the unequal social environment of Wallace, and the impact that both have on people suffering from mental illness. I have been advocating this case through social media platforms, through preparatory bill writing, and networking to get the word out about similar cases such as attending the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations to get the word out on our program and find people in power to aid our cause.

Furthermore, with JMJP, I worked as an archivist for the Chipman Archive for Racial and Cultural Healing, or the A.R.C.H. through the Charles Chipman Cultural Center in Salisbury, which is a digital archive preserving the Black community of what once was Georgetown. To better understand the need for this A.R.C.H., it’s important to know about the history of Georgetown. Georgetown was a thriving Black neighborhood that was booming with the most prominent Black businesses in Wicomico County in the early 1900s. However, many businesses and homes were torn through in the 1930s when U.S. Route 13 began construction right through the middle of the area. Many buildings continued to be bulldozed as Route 50 would be built directly through whatever was left of the community in 1949. The only remaining building of Georgetown is the Charles Chipman Cultural Center, so it is of the utmost importance that the stories of the survivors and descendants are not lost forever. For the A.R.C.H.; I worked with the JMJP team to organize, store, and preserve artifacts given to the Chipman Center by descendants and survivors of the town in order to keep their stories alive and personal to each family as we only provide resources rather than owning each artifact or database ourselves. As far as research in this field work goes, myself along with many others, researched individuals and historic sights in Salisbury and the former Georgetown. I had the privilege of learning and writing about Norma Lee Barkley, and they are now available on the A.R.C.H. to start off the launch of the archive which is an ongoing project.

Please visit www.chipmancenter.org/exhibit/arch if you would like to know more about the A.R.C.H. and the rich history along the Eastern Shore. Thank you.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution OSCAR

Inside the Daily: Uncovering the Seeds of Cultural Peace Alongside the Community in JamundÃ

Author(s): Isabella Cuevas Celis

Mentor(s): Charles E Davidson, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

This peacebuilding project focuses on promoting social change and conflict transformation through grassroots work alongside the local community that lives in the corregimiento of San Isidro, Colombia, specifically with its Afro-Colombian youth. This bottom-up peace initiative was based on the specific needs, interests, and responses of the community, which has and is facing violence at various levels due to its complex and rough history. Diverse interactive approaches – involving art, music, sports, ecology, music, etc. – tailored to the local context, were facilitated and developed within ten workshops throughout five weeks. The experience revealed not only the importance of a strong partnership with local residents and leaders, including its youth but also how social cohesion and individual well-being are key vehicles for a sustainable path toward social change and peacebuilding in day-to-day life. Importantly, the activities that demonstrated the most effectiveness and impactful on the residents were those that accomplished a connection between the participants and their surroundings, which moved forward the promotion of leadership, agency, and empowerment. The project was able to build momentum, where not only the facilitators but other people from the community embraced their own ideas and visions for future actions and projects. The young participants finalized with a willingness to learn and do more, an openness that was developed over time, which hopefully can be maintained and nurtured by them, increasing their determination for their dreams and objectives.

Audio Transcript

This peacebuilding project called: “Inside the Daily: Uncovering the Seeds of Cultural Peace Alongside the Community in JamundÃ,” had the intend of highlighting individual assets, cultural affirmation, and social cohesion as vehicles for conflict transformation within the Afrocolombian community in the corregimiento of San Isidro, in Colombia. This, through creative spaces and multiple activities while inquiring it effectiveness within the context, with its people.

Workshops involving holistic approaches that embraced art, music, ecology, dance, mindfulness, and other form of human expressions and connection took place twice a week with a group of youth in the community, throughout a period of 5 weeks, with additional activities on Saturdays connected to the theme of the week.

This community is located in a region impacted by the Colombian armed conflict and its traces of illicit economic activity, in addition to systemic injustices and inequalities that leaves them vulnerable to violent cycles, especially its youth. For this reason, emphasis was made on the importance of local voices and their willingness, in order to eventually foster an empowerment owned and sustained by them.

In this way, the methodological approach of participatory action research guided the project, as it was based on researcher and local partnership and community leadership to dive into the actions that can bring forth social change and conflict transformation by comprehending the social issues and situation.

During the five weeks, I facilitated ten workshops alongside two bright young men from the community. Around 25 to 30 people attended from the ages 10 to 16 years old. Each session was divided by three main parts: icebreaking/trust-building activity, the interactive and didactic activities, and wrap-up.

During the sessions, the first weeks narratives were dived into, bringing to light the way participants see parts of life and themselves, including their identities and culture, what is normalized and believed to be true. The following week, called A travÃ©s de mi, spanned around personal values, role models, different perspectives from the same situation, and the different experiences of life. The last two weeks, called Entorno and MÃ¡s allÃ¡ de mi, respectively, focused on conflict responses, sources of power, social change, environmental care, non-violent communication, leadership, and participant’s goals and dreams.

Throughout the workshops, individual and community strengths and potentials were placed at the center, including their needs, hopes, and responses. Which is why the dynamics and strategies were modified and adapted as it was unfolding, always taking into account the ideas of locals and the participants.

Collaboration was key, in order to accurately and effectively work with the physical body, senses, and emotions of the participants. The progress revealed how essential individual and communal trust and well-being are as vehicles for social change and peacebuilding in the day-to-day. In the same way, important actions were discerned (with people from the community) which promote a connection between the individual and greater changes in their surroundings and themselves, for instance, teamwork games, the creation of safe spaces to share opinions, storytelling by locals, and actions that involves movement.

Essentially, initiatives that accomplished a connection between the participants and their surroundings, such as the creation of a medicinal plant garden, the painting of the mural, and the local pedagogical trip, are important for a sense of ownership and leadership when it comes to social change and undertaking in peace actions that are part of daily life. Engagement, union, cooperation, and evolution was accomplished, as the youth group were indicators of methods of empowerment and learning, they discerned these, even the issues the community faces and possible solutions. This was also possible by advocating laughter, having many conversations, stimulating the senses, and boosting a sense of support, for them to feel seen and respected.

Momentum was created, where not only the facilitators but other people from the community embraced their own ideas and visions for future actions and projects. The participants finalized with a willingness to learn and do more, an openness that was developed over time, which hopefully can be maintained and nurtured by them, increasing their determination for their dreams and objectives.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Honors College OSCAR Summer Team Impact Project

Salisbury’s Beth Israel Congregation

Author(s): Jabez Nelson

Mentor(s): Charles Chavis, African American Studies, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

The Beth Israel Congregation Within Salisbury was once a thriving Jewish Community along the Eastern Shore. Within this brief presentation, learn more about this community’s founders, as well as the previous areas of which were considered to be just as rich in Jewish culture. Furthermore, discover why the Salisbury Beth Israel Congregation is no longer as lively as it was once before, though it still thrives to this day.

Audio Transcript

Hello, my name is Jabez Nelson, and today I’ll be presenting to you information relating to Salisbury’s Beth Israel Congregation. So, a little bit about me. I’m a third-year undergraduate student. I’m currently studying psychology with a concentration in industrial organizational psychology. Most of this research, or all of the research that I’m actually presenting to you today was done under the John Mitchell Junior Program. So before getting into the Beth Israel Congregation in Salisbury, we have to understand what the Jewish hub was before Salisbury. So, that was actually going to be Pocomoke, Virginia, as it was the biggest area where Jewish people are actually going to along the Eastern Shore in the late 1880s. So, many of the Jewish families have initially moved to Pocomoke, including the Finkelsteins, Klaffs, Fines, Glasses, Millers, Rodbells, and Heiligs There are other Jewish families that were also starting to take residence within different cities along the Eastern Shore, such as in Pennsylvania and Maryland. By the early 1900s Sam Feldman was actually one of these people, so he moved from Pottsville, PA, to Salisbury in 1904. He’d actually owned a furniture shop so he was taking it to Salisbury, actually setting it up to like live there permanently. As well as Israel Leon, AKA, “I.L.” Benjamin, who arrived in 1915 from Exmore Virginia. He was also a store runner, but his store was clothes, so he’s here running a clothing store. So these two men, both Jewish, they decided to found the Beth Israel Congregation in 1925, though it wasn’t actually known as the Beth Israel Congregation at the time, it was only known as the “Kehelas Israel”? Which meant the “Community of Israel” in Hebrew. The first President of the foundation was also I.L Benjamin, but I believe that Sam Feldman was also on the board, so he was also there, like helping consistently throughout all of the time I.L. was also present. Moving along to 1939, the congregation meetings were usually held within the second story of a store between Main Street and Camden Street. This was kind of a step up from what they were doing before because they had been going from house to house originally, as they didn’t actually have an official meeting place or building. But this all changed in 1951, when the first, official synagogue building was actually built. As this was happening, membership at the time was also going up exponentially as well as the Jewish population in Salisbury. I believe there were 75 Jewish families in the congregation around this time, which is way more than there are currently, unfortunately, as the modern day Beth Israel is a relatively small congregation. Since many of the families ended up migrating away to various metropolitan areas such as Baltimore, DC and Ocean City, this is the modern day building. By the way. On the last slide we saw that was the building that was first built in 1951, I believe. But the moving away from the Salisbury community primarily happened due to the conflicting viewpoints amongst older and younger members within the church back in the. Late 1980s, as I learned from the person I did an oral history interview with, Andrew Karten as well as the passing away of many of the original members. Yeah, it was very sad, but”¦ Throughout this entire process, I actually did a lot of searching through digital databases such as Ancestry and Newspapers trying to find out like more about each of the digital members of in the community that I was assigned. That also included me clipping different materials and transferring materials in the base camp. I also read through a lot of Jewish history literature. And of course, I had to contact the actual organization Beth Israel Synagogue. And I actually had scheduled the oral history interviews and the once those were done I just transcribed those oral history interviews. But yeah, that was basically all of my research so far, and I’m still doing more trying to like wrap everything up, but I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys have also done so, thank you.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution OSCAR Summer Team Impact Project

STIP Fellow Michelle Kim – Social Advocacy in Breaking the Silence of Systemic Racism

Author(s): Amber Green, Sewon Michelle Kim, Logan Varker

Mentor(s): Charles Chavis, African and African American Studies

Abstract

Through the Summer Team Impact Project at George Mason University, I collaborated with the John Mitchell, Jr. Program and Dr. Charles L. Chavis to assist in their work on history and transformational, community-led narrative change. As an aspiring social worker, I was able to see firsthand what cultural competence means through the teachings of Dr. Chavis on the history of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Building upon that, I was given the opportunity to work with a local nonprofit organization focused on the youth homelessness issue in the city of Salisbury. This offered me an indelible experience to see the strong bond between history and social work, especially in a community fragmented by generations of disenfranchisement and displacement. Through my work with JMJP, I have been given the tools and courage to become a social advocate for not only Fenix Youth Project and Salisbury but of my immediate community as well.

Audio Transcript

Hello, my name is Michelle Kim and I am a junior at Mason, pursuing a bachelor’s in social work. I was honored to be selected as a Summer Team Impact Project fellow to collaborate with the John Mitchell, Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race of the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. As stated on their website, the program “contributes to and promotes a more informed public, political, and academic dialogue on the intersections between historical memory, justice, and racial reconciliation.”
Through the leadership of the director of JMJP Dr. Chavis and his book “The Silent Shore: The Lynching of Matthew Williams and the Politics of Racism in the Free State,” I began to understand concepts such as systemic racism, disenfranchisement, displacement, and historical trauma theory.
The history of the Eastern Shore of Maryland is riddled with racial terror that continues to affect the Black community through generations. The racial disparities that are seen today in the city of Salisbury and the surrounding areas of the Lower Shore can only be understood by revisiting the history, of which has been exposed through the works such as Dr. Chavis.’
“The Silent Shore” provoked the activist in me, as I was confounded by just how systematic racism is in this country, to the point that it has become elusive, to the effect that most people do not raise a question to how things are the way they are now. This all ties to the track that I have taken in this fellowship, which is advocacy and coalition building.
By building upon the history I had learned through Dr. Chavis’ book and thus the knowledge of the dismantlement of a once-affluent Black community called Georgetown that is now present-day Salisbury, I had a useful lens in which I could view the work I did with Fenix Youth Project, a local nonprofit organization.
Fenix Youth Project is founded by local activist Amber Green, whose mission is to uplift the youth of the area by giving them a voice and providing them the resources to thrive and enrich their lives to become active members of their community.
The ever-persisting problem of youth homelessness is what Green has been trying to help solve for the past ten years through her organization. I assisted Fenix Youth Project by searching for and writing grants and finding ways to build upon their fundraising efforts. Grants, both local and federal, are crucial in supplying funds to run the organization, from being able to diversify their programs for the youth, running their drop-in center and youth shelter, and also to pay their staff. I also collected and configured data that painted a more precise picture of the pressing issue of homelessness in the youth, and predominantly Black, community in Salisbury.
Through this infographic I have created, it is clear that the youth homelessness issue is disproportionately affecting the Black community in Wicomico County, where Salisbury is located. Looking through the casework of the clients at Fenix, I was able to draw out stories of the youth in the area and viscerally feel the struggle in their lack of access to resources.
I understand now that the systemic inequity that exists today, such as the problem Amber Green and Fenix Youth Project is trying to solve, stems from a longwinded history of destruction and displacement, one that has continued to grow and stifle the Black community through a system of silence. Although at times I was frustrated to learn the history and see its impact on today’s society, I was more so encouraged and inspired by the connection I saw Green have with the youth in Salisbury. I could see that through her voice, she gave the youth their own voice too.
Through my Summer Team Impact Project fellowship with JMJP, I have learned the importance of history as a future social worker and what it means to be culturally competent, and also how vital it is to keep the spirit of social activism. With this spirit, we can one day dismantle not only the system of silence but the deep-seated relationship that America has with racism.

To learn more about Dr. Chavis’ work in Salisbury, Maryland, you can visit www.hiddeninfullview.com to register to see the documentary based on his book The Silent Shore.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Honors College Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) - OSCAR

Who are Insider Reconcilers? A Qualitative Investigation of Local Peacebuilders Engaged in International Reconciliation Processes

Author(s): Hannah Adamson

Mentor(s): Nicholas Sherwood, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

Formal reconciliation processes often struggle to meet their aims due to a lack of ownership by the communities they seek to support. Insider reconcilers are individuals working to bring people together after violence has occurred who have connection to one or more parties in conflict and continue to live in the context following formal processes. While these individuals have a unique capacity to foster positive change through their deeper understanding of the conflict and existing trust built within the community, they face significant risks, notably being overlooked or disempowered by formal peace processes. Existing literature has explored insider-partials as a larger category, however, to date, no studies have directly connected with insider reconcilers to understand their experiences, insights, and challenges. To overcome this gap, I expanded an ongoing study I am involved in with the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation to connect with insider reconcilers to better understand this positionality in context of practitioner wellbeing and international reconciliation practice. Throughout this summer I a) conducted and transcribed three interviews, b) developed two participant profiles to highlight experiences and lessons learned on an online learning platform, c) critically reflected on personal travel, notably a fieldwork visit shadowing the Sami reconciliation process in Finland, and d) developed a policy brief offering recommendations on how policymakers and organizations can best support insider reconcilers. Some key lessons through this process include the need for trust-building prior to and within reconciliation processes and the need to offer support for insider reconcilers—especially technically, financially, and psychologically. In working to understand insider reconcilers, peacebuilding processes will be better able to champion insider reconcilers and their initiatives.

Keywords: reconciliation; peacebuilding; insider reconciler; insider partial

Audio Transcript

To better understand insider reconcilers, I had four key deliverables for my research. First to identify and interview three insider reconcilers and transcribe these conversations for further data analysis. Two, to develop participant profiles on insider reconcilers to highlight their experiences for an online learning platform. Three, to reflect on my travel over the past six months and put it in context of reconciliation practice and four, to develop a policy brief offering recommendations on how policymakers and organizations can better support insider reconcilers. I will now be diving into each of these deliverables in a little bit more detail.
During this summer I interviewed three participants, two virtually and one in-person. These interviews are semi-structured with a series of questions dedicated to three main sections. First their understanding of reconciliation, second their experiences of insider reconciliation, and finally wellbeing in reconciliation practice. After conducting these interviews, I completed transcriptions, touching-up auto-transcriptions generated by zoom and then formatting these transcriptions for data analysis.
Next, I developed two profiles of insider reconcilers which summarize their work, insights, and perspectives. These written profiles discuss key points identified in the interviews and include quotes from the insiders themselves. These profiles will be published on a public website primarily used by reconciliation scholars and practitioners to better inform peacebuilding practice and you can see below a quote from one of our insiders who speaks to the importance of breaking circles of violence through forgiveness and peaceful coexistence.
To compliment my research, I critically reflected upon my travel over the last six months. During the Spring Semester I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and was able to visit nine other countries reflected in the map to the right. This experience allowed me to build cross cultural understanding which is critical to research and international reconciliation practice.
In May, I traveled to Northern Finland to shadow my mentor, Antti Pentikäinen, who leads the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, as he worked with the Sami Indigenous community. During this time I had the opportunity to meet with community leaders involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Concerning Sami People and the Sami Psychosocial Support Unit. I was also able to interview two of my participants and visit relevant sites such as the Sami Parliament and Sidda Museum and Nature Center in which documents Sami heritage and culture.
Some key reflections on reconciliation processes following this visit include the necessity of evaluating and building trust for reconciliation processes to be successful, the importance of not oversimplifying a conflict context, a need to create a comprehensive processes for diverse stakeholders, needing to develop psychosocial support mechanisms, such as mental health resources and psychotherapy, tailored to the context to support both practitioners and stakeholders, and finally the potential of a hybridized positionality that bridges outsiders and insiders through a “distant insider” or “trusted outsider” positionality.
Finally, to implement the lessons learned from my research, analysis, and travel reflections, I am leading the creation of a policy brief offering recommendations to policy makers on how to best support insider reconcilers. While still in development with two of my colleagues at the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation, this document proposed the following preliminary recommendations. First, identifying insider reconcilers and building peer support networks. Second, financially committing to insider reconcilers and their initiatives. Third, integrating trauma healing mechanisms in reconciliation practice and finally, fully funding training for insider reconcilers.
Before I wrap up, I would like to thank OSCAR for this unique opportunity to pursue action-oriented research. Thank my mentor, Nicholas Sherwood, thank Antti Pentikäinen for allowing me to shadow him in Finland, and for insider reconcilers sharing their insights with me, and for all of my peers for their support. Following this summer program, I will continue interviewing insider reconcilers with the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation’s Transformation and Reconciliation Lab to develop official findings and offer actionable support mechanisms.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, I offer the following list of references. Thank you so much for listening and I hope together we can transition this from research to action!

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution College of Humanities and Social Science Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) - OSCAR

The Impact of COVID-19 on Religious Leaders and Communities: Challenges, Sources of Resilience & Unmet Needs

Author(s): Greta Roberson

Mentor(s): Nicholas R. Sherwood, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented challenges on religious communities around the world and many have turned to their religious leaders (RLs) for guidance but this places RLs at a greater risk for stress and challenges. The research demonstrates that RLs are facing universal challenges, such as amending traditions to adhere to COVID policy and regulations, and specific challenges that derive from their religious denomination and the cultural circumstance of where they live.

Our data collection comes from a series of interviews with religious leaders from around the world with various religious backgrounds. In order to qualify, they need to have some responsibility for a congregation or community during the height of the pandemic (March 2020 – December 2021). During the interview process, we ask questions about their challenges, their families and loved ones, and their communities. Next, we ask about their sources of strength and coping mechanisms. Finally, we are left with unmet needs and ask how they could have been better supported.

From the data analysis, we found that participants frequently mentioned financial hardships, feelings of loneliness, and increased demands from congregants. As sources of resilience, they often mentioned deeper religiosity, and the pandemic often allowed them an opportunity to grow and serve as well as spending time on meaningful projects. Finally, religious leaders mentioned the need to adapt to online spaces and their communities were at greater risk needing more financial assistance and additional support.

Audio Transcript

SLIDE 1
Good day. My name is Greta and my URSP Summer 2022 project is understanding the impact of COVID-19 on an international sample of religious leaders: specifically their challenges, sources or resilience, and unmet needs. I started this project with the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation since they were originally commissioned to perform this research but after receiving the URSP award, I was able to come along and finish wrapping up this project.

SLIDE 2
A little bit about the project: it was drafted and initially funded by the Al Amana Centre, an interfaith organization based in Muscat, Oman. They saw the need to understand what the experiences of religious leaders during the pandemic are. After the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation picked up the project, we began reaching out and interviewing religious leaders around the globe. The only requirements were that they must be above the age of 18, speak English, assumed a level of responsibility for a minimum of one congregant and served during the height of the pandemic from March 2020 to December 2021. The project is currently in its final steps and within the next weeks we will deliver our report to the Al Amana Centre and I have constructed a policy brief to send to the United States Institute of Peace. There will be more on that later.

SLIDE 3
During the interviews we asked a series of questions divided into four sections. First, basic demographic questions to understand the background of our pool of participants. These questions included asking about where they are from and where they served during the pandemic, their religious denomination, gender, age, and what they do to serve their community. We identified religious leaders as not only priests, rabbis, imams, but also youth pasters or working an administrative role in in their organization.
Then we asked about the challenges they experienced, sources of resilience or strength they used to overcome these challenges, and what type of support would have been helpful. Through each section we asked about their personal experience, their families and loved ones, then their congregation or larger community. Then, since some interviews were conducted recently, we could ask how things have improved, worsened, or remained the same over time.

SLIDE 4
After interviewing 11 participants, here is what we found among their challenges: First and foremost was financial hardship. Sometimes they and their loved one were affected but more often. Their center of worship and congregations faced financial difficulties from a loss of income. Since many individuals were no longer attending in-person service, donations tended to drop. Next, religious leaders faced increased demands. Moving online meant that they could be contacted more frequently, and individuals could stay longer for prayer, advice, or council. Next, we found that leaders felt they had to keep reassuring their community to take the pandemic seriously or to relieve congregants of unnecessary fears. And finally, several leaders mentioned a feeling of loneliness from being away from friends, families, loved ones, and even away from their congregation.

SLIDE 5
In terms of sources of resilience, we found that nearly all participants mentioned they fell deeper into scripture, prayer, religious thought, reflections, and practice. They also mentioned that the support from and between the congregation members lifted their spirit. Some mentioned how they never felt so close to members of the community and never or rarely seen such support from one another before. Additionally, with lockdown and social distancing measures, many decided to spend time doing meaningful activities such as reading, walking in nature, or picking up old projects. Lastly, we had many responses about how they took the opportunity to grow and serve others.

SLIDE 6
After a quick data analysis, we discovered how there were many unmet needs and missing pillars of support. First, there were many costs that worship centers were recovering from. With the loss of in-person attendance and refusal to take loans, combined with the increased costs and attention to programs, buying masks, sanitizer, gloves and other equipment, they are still in a state of financial recovery. Few leaders mentioned that they felt a “double loss” from losing a loved one or congregation member, then because of safety measures, were not able to hold a proper burial to pass from this life to the next. Third, several mentioned how members of the congregation lost their jobs, homes, took loans to cover costs or needed help from the community to purchase groceries because they were quarantining or did not want to risk infection. Lastly, participants mentioned that there needs to be a better way of switching to online formats to adapt to the demands of current events and the needs of the congregation.

SLIDE 7
Finally, we come to future recommendations. The pandemic is still not over and many are recovering while others still face challenges. The recommendations are also useful to consider for the future when communities face hardship from similar circumstances. First, involve more culturally and religiously sensitive mandating that safely restricts individuals and families and lessen risks and hardships. Second, from the literature review and participants’ responses, there was considerable collaboration between groups and organizations so there could be incentive programs to gather together as a larger community and help another. Third, provide subsidize resources and materials so they do not become an obstacle. Fourth, institutions should propose grants or specialized loans for religious centers. Such as, one participant mentioned how their center would have taken financial assistance but it against their belief to take loans that have interest rates.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Schar School of Policy and Government

The Legacy of British Indirect Rule on State Capacity: The Cases of Nigeria and Ghana

Author(s): Natalia Kanos

Mentor(s): Phillip Martin, Schar School of Policy and Government

Abstract

This proposal sets out to investigate the impact of indirect rule by the British in Ghana and Nigeria. First, it aims to explore the legacies of the organizational structures left behind by the British in each nation. Second, it aims to understand divergences in these nations’ state capacity. This paper conducts a comparative study on both nations’ structures and ties the reason for divergence and specifically, the reason for the divergence is the institutional legacies implemented by the British. This proposal builds a foundation for its argument on the reason for divergence being rooted in state legitimacy and how colonization affected state legitimacy. The issue in state capacity revolves around Ghana forming a stronger relationship with its citizens because of indirect rules colonial structure. By contrast, Nigeria had a more ‘direct form of indirect rule.

Audio Transcript

hello, my name is Natalia, and I will be presenting my thesis proposal for my Government 491 class.

My proposal is on The Legacy of British Indirect Rule on State Capacity: The Cases of Nigeria and Ghana. I’ll be utilizing the fragile state in-depth about by the Fund for peace, to show this emergent, as you can see.
Ghana has a score of 63.9 and there’s 113 out of 178 nations, while Nigeria has scored 98 and is 12 out of the same 178 nations Ghana is perceived to be a stable country while Nigeria is in its warning stages. The fragile state indicators rank nations, based on 12 indicators. Security apparatus, the economy, and services, and each nation are given a score from zero to 10 and the closer you are to 10 is the more unstable urination is in the closer you are to zero is the more stable connection is. I would like to draw your attention to state legitimacy, as you can see, Nigeria has a score of 8.4 while Ghana, has a score 3.2, and this is where my spiritual grounding in, as that is a difference of five and that it’s extremely drastic considering the score is out of 10. My research question is, does the form of British indirect to Ghana, in general, yeah explained divergences stick grassy my dependent variable will stay capacity in my inner circle indirect coach and my goal is really to understand the legacy of colonialism in relation to state capacity. Frameworks are important to understand, especially as they use certain terms when I referred to indirect or, this is just a type that was created, implemented by British instead of looking for indigenous leaders and placing them with British officials on the left them in power, however, they still must report to British authorities where they were in charge of. Doing day to day administrative duties like collecting taxes and building infrastructure, As for direct rule the local and indigenous leaders were removed and replaced with British officials and they were in charge of doing day to day, there was more development, infrastructure, as they were integrated, however, for indirect rule they were really just focused on extracting sources and when it comes to state capacity This basically boils down to is the government able to do its duties is able to collect taxes and restore and hold law and order accountable and provide basic services and goods for its citizens. The context of my research really just shows that I noticed, there were a lot of differences in state capacity with a lot of African nations are more stable than others, and I saw that there was a lot of research already currently comparing in direct or indirect or in comparing different colonies that were colonized by different European groups.
But there was no kind of noticing and comparing nations that were colonized by the same colonial powers so that is why I developed this kind of puzzle, you must. African nations in this case go on a Nigerian they were colonized by the British index was implemented, and they have different levels of state for agility their state capacities are also achieved.
My mythology and this section is just process chasing and hypothesis testing participating, I will just be looking at specific cases and using this mechanism to help develop a theory and create a theory. I’ll be utilizing qualitative research, I’ll be utilizing primary and secondary sources to kind of help me understand the structure of the colonization, pre-colonized structures and present nations.
I will also be conducting a bit of quantitative research by utilizing the state fragile index, the World Bank and IMF indexes in information and just kind of developing a level of confidence, as well as finding intervening variables.

Some early findings, I found are that there had similar pre-colonial structures with having powerful ethnic groups, they were both colonized by the British editor to utilize there is a divergence in their state legitimacy and there is divergence in state fragility and capacity.

Thank you so much for listening, I look forward to conducting more research and just understanding the cases of both nations, I also look forward to hearing your comments Thank you so much.

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution OSCAR Top Presenter Patriot Green Fund

BigBelly Solar-Powered Trash Bins: Funded by the Patriot Green Fund.

Author(s): Connor Cuevo

Mentor(s): Amber Saxton, Office of Sustainability

Abstract

You may have noticed something new on campus: BigBelly waste bins! But what are they. Approved for university funding by the Patriot Green Fund, these new-fangled receptacles are Mason’s latest commitment to sustainability on campus. A small team of dedicated individuals working in conjunction with the office of sustainability brought this project to fruition. The need for a more innovative trash can was realized in the last few years as a burgeoning student population pushed trash infrastructure to its limits and a wave of scavenging critters menaced traditional waste units. By contacting other universities, cities and institutions, the team was made confident that the Bigbelly units would make an excellent addition to the Fairfax Campus waste stream. But in order to be approved for funding, some issues needed to be tackled first. The facilities department had to approve the installation, the funders had to make sure it was a competitive offer and the university had to know how many units to buy. The group decided that the project had the best chance of success as a pilot program with the potential for further funding. Complicated by supply chain issues and stalled by a global pandemic, the effort to install BigBelly waste units on campus began in earnest in January 2020 and came full circle in July 2021. Additional challenges included writing a formal contract with the vendor, obtaining offers from competitions to ensure a favorable market rate for the product, and multiple meetings with a dedicated design to team to ensure the trash cans looked stunning. These BigBelly units show that George Mason university is fully backing a transition to a sustainable future. The Patriot Green Fund is an excellent opportunity for students to apply their skills and put their ideas to work.

Audio Transcript

If you’re a student on the Fairfax campus, and you’ve walked by Northern Neck Hall this semester, you’ve probably wondered “What are those weird looking trash cans?” What if I told you it was a student like you who got them installed?

The University facilities team sets aside $100,000 per year in an independent organization known as the Patriot Green Fund. Run by a dedicated committee of faculty, staff and students, this fund identifies areas of infrastructure improvement on George Mason University campuses. It accepts, critiques, selects and finances creative, innovative, and eco-friendly solutions to these issues submitted primarily by students.

I and my team had the honor of being awarded university funding in the spring of 2021. We proposed a pilot program to assess the performance of a solar powered, self-compacting, high capacity trash receptacle to be installed outside of the Starbucks in Northern Neck hall.

I was approached almost two years ago in January 2020 by Sustainability Program Manager Amber Saxton, who notified me of several areas of potential campus improvement. I decided to explore alternative waste receptacles, due to the high costs and environmental impacts of providing liners for current trash bins and the frequently arising need to empty them, as well as rising complaints about litter and scavenging animals. After cursory research of the problem, an independent vendor known as BigBelly Solar seemed to provide a creative, sustainable and cost-effective solution.

BigBelly units are large trash cans that compact the trash inside them. They are fully powered by renewable solar energy and hold nearly twice as much as standard campus trash bins, meaning less work and money saved for the university. A metal hatch seals the units to prevent access by pests and ensures that what goes in, stays in.

Amber introduced me to Colleen Regan, the Campus Efficiencies Assistant, who helped me conduct research and draft a proposal. Together we reached out to cities, universities and institutions all across the country who had previously purchased these units and asked all manner of questions about their specifications, cost, performance and maintenance. I also reached out to BigBelly directly for more information on their products. During this period, the three of us identified additional benefits of purchasing BigBelly units, such as a built-in ashtray, a foot-pedal to activate the hatch, and advertising space on the sides. Colleen and I determined that the University should purchase one trash bin and one recycling bin situated beside each other, with the future possibility of a compost receptacle or additional bins located elsewhere.

Amber, Colleen and I drafted a proposal. Before we began, I had the opportunity to meet with Sarah D’alexander, the Director of the Patriot Green Fund. Sarah explained to me that I would need to pass a preliminary round of examination by the committee to advance and become a finalist. My team and I worked hard to explain the problem and demonstrate our solution. The hardest part was crunching the numbers and determining that BigBelly would pay for itself in the span a of a few years. We submitted our proposal and patiently awaited a response.

However, before the committee could meet and assess our proposal, the covid-19 pandemic was gripping the US. Months of patiently waiting went by, before one day in July 2020, I received an email that the proposal had passed the initial stage and was a strong candidate for funding. Unfortunately, the pandemic was the cause of further delays both at Mason and across the globe, and it was not until the spring that we found the opportunity to make progress.

We got to work on the final proposal, amending our original draft and adding features such as a map to depict the waste bin’s location, and a chart which both detailed and provided a rationale for our expenditures. We explained each of our roles in the final application and demonstrated our commitment to see the project to completion. On February 5th, 2021, we submitted our final draft of the funding application.

Only a week or so had gone by, before I received an email from Sarah, informing me that the final application had been approved for funding. In class at the time, I nearly jumped for joy when I saw the notification. I was very proud of myself and my team. I couldn’t believe that I had won the first grant I had applied to! But I had to remind myself that my work was not done; I needed to follow through on what I had promised to deliver.

A few days later, I met with my team and with Sarah. We discussed the final three action items. First, we had to prove that our proposal was financially competitive, and this we accomplished by contacting two vendors who provide similar product and determining their prices. Second, since Bigbelly had no contract with George Mason University, we needed to provide one. Luckily, we located a similar contract with the vendor from an out of state organization which we were able to adapt to our own purposes. And lastly, we had to schedule several meetings with a university graphic design team to develop a durable, informative and visually appealing exterior for the Bigbelly unit.

Finally, in July 2021, the big day arrived. The facilities team led by Kevin Brim, head of campus recycling, installed the units right next to the Northern Neck Starbucks. Since then I have had the responsibility of continuing to monitor them; making sure that they are in efficient, working order, as well as checking for contamination. One area that needed troubleshooting was to determine the ideal level of waste and recycling the units can hold before they need to be emptied. Along with my team, I have participated in “waste audits” which involve digging through the trash and recycling to monitor contamination, as well as to assess the practicality and durability of the units.

But most of all, this is a pilot program, and if the units perform well, the university will consider expanding the project. BigBelly waste bins are a clear and visible symbol of Mason’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. The Patriot Green Fund is just one of many opportunities Patriots have to effect change on campus and beyond. Who knows what will be next?