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Moin Uddin’s journey to the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program is a powerful testament to his dedication and passion for creating a better world. After earning his bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in international marketing from the University of Chittagong, Moin seized a life-changing opportunity to join the United Nations as a contingent member of peacekeeping mission in the role of Liaison and Public Relations (cum Interpreter) officer, in Côte d’Ivoire. This pivotal moment not only set his career path towards peacebuilding but also ignited a lifelong commitment to global peace and development.

"It's hard to describe, but it hit me right in the heart. I just thought, sometimes things can look one way, but then with a little more context or information, it can completely change your perspective," reflected Nancy Williams(last to the right) on a statue she saw at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City during a multi-day student seminar hosted by Mennonite Central Committee. The statue, pictured on the left, was recovered from the 1945 Nagasaki bombing. "How can something look so perfect from one side but then on the other side, you know there's just absolute tragedy?"

“I have this personal mantra, which is that information needs to serve for transformation,” says Lorena Rodriguez (‘15), a graduate of the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program. Specializing in peacebuilding communication in humanitarian and development contexts, this mantra serves her well: the transformative power of outreach, advocacy and public policy to create meaningful change in complex environments and vulnerable communities is precisely what drives Lorena’s work.

Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) alumni Sage Streight looks back on her time as a PACS student fondly, and the program’s teachings continue to inform her work today. After graduating from the University of Waterloo in 2019, with a major in PACS and a minor in Legal Studies, Sage pursued a law career. She graduated from the University of Ottawa’s law school in 2023 and by 2024, she was a fully licensed lawyer. She now works as a criminal prosecutor and assistant crown attorney in Kingston, Ontario.

Since she began her studies in the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program in September, Theresa Strutt has been reflecting critically on the way that peace processes can both combat and reinforce existing structural inequalities in our society.

In the grand scheme of our complex world, it is challenging to decide where you, as an individual, can make the greatest impact. For Peace and Conflict Studies alumni Michelle Jackett, making a difference meant finding her niche, building her expertise, and going all-in. 

Transition is both a natural and challenging part of life, and it is something that PACS alumni Bonnie Klassen has become very familiar with. After 27 years living and working in Colombia, Bonnie recently moved back to Canada, bringing with her years of experience working towards justice and peace in a global context. 

Nuhu Abdulmalik will graduate from the Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program in April 2024, but his mission to build a more peaceful world is only beginning. Inspired by the ideas of building connection through storytelling and bridging cultural gaps through technology, the MPACS program has opened doors for him to take action on his peacebuilding aspirations and make a difference. 

Imogen Sloss, an undergraduate student who recently completed a degree double majoring in PACS and Psychology, has been awarded the Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal for the highest GPA of the 2024 graduating Arts students at the University of Waterloo. The award recognizes a student graduating from the Faculty of Arts with the highest overall average. Imogen also attained the top cumulative average of all Arts students who finished in spring 2023, fall 2023, and winter 2024— by extension, she is also receiving the Department Award for Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) and the Currie Scholarship. When asked how it felt to be recognized for such achievements, she shared, “I was shocked to be the recipient of these awards and felt rewarded for my hard work over the past four years.” Imogen continued, “I am someone who loves learning, and have so benefitted from my experience as a student at Waterloo and Grebel.”

The RJ Specialization is open to all Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) Major students looking to pursue an in-depth study of alternative, non-conventional responses to societal harms and injustices, as well as solutions to harms experienced by individuals or groups in schools, faith communities, or social settings. The RJ Diploma is available to all University of Waterloo students enrolled in a degree program or any non- or post-degree academic plan.