Current graduate students

On Wednesday, March 25th  the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest took place at Conrad Grebel University College. The event was organized by the Peace and Conflict Studies Department and the Grebel Chaplaincy office. Of the submissions, four contestants each took the podium to present their speeches relating to the application of the Christian peace position to contemporary concerns.  

While Jaden completed his undergraduate degree in Geography and Aviation with a minor in PACS, he also became a pilot and photographer. He was drawn to Peace and Conflict Studies while exploring potential options for a minor during his bachelor’s degree. 

“Different perspectives on peacework gave me an opportunity to look at forms of community building that are not traditional, specifically art as a form of peacebuilding.” Jaden expressed. As a photographer, he understood the power of art as self-expression but had not considered its value for building communities. 

Imagine the dreams that become possible when financial barriers are removed for students: a term abroad, an immersive language program, a globally focused internship, or research grounded in another culture. Students might find themselves volunteering in a refugee settlement, researching an issue they care about, immersing themselves in global music, taking a field course in environmental justice, working with a governmental think tank, or collaborating with an NGO overseas. Experiences like these broaden a person’s perspective, change career paths, and contribute to the kind of leadership that Canada will need in the future. 

Thubelihle Mkwalula is in her second year of the MPACS program. She is originally from Eswatini and completed her undergraduate degree in global affairs in the United States. Following her undergrad, she applied directly to the MPACS program because she wanted to diversify her field of study. 

Julie-Ann Ellis-Bradley is a final year Master of Peace and Conflict Studies student at Conrad Grebel University College, affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Julie-Ann is an attorney who has worked in mediation and practiced law in Belize for over 17 years. In that time, Julie-Ann realized that navigating conflict is a critical life skill, and conflict management is a powerful tool to have in all relationships.  

In October, Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) students participated in an MPACS Internship Symposium hosted by the PACS Department. Eager to share lessons learned with fellow MPACS students, Grebel faculty and staff, Emilie, Theresa and Quinn reflected on the highlights and challenges they faced during their internships abroad.  

Simmi Hansra (MPACS 2020) is a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) alum invested in conflict transformation through unconditional acceptance. Empathy and curiosity are centred in Simmi's approach to everyday life, and these principles support her in working to create a more peaceful and equitable world.