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Each year in November, Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) students are invited to apply to attend the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) United Nations (UN) Student Seminar. Six students attended the seminar this year, held in the United Nations Plaza in New York City. The three-day seminar explored themes regarding the UN’s role in peacebuilding and advocacy initiatives. After the students returned home, inspired and invigorated, they expressed their takeaways from the trip.

Fueled by her passion for mediation and advocacy, Zoe knew the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program at the University of Waterloo offered her the perfect opportunity to deepen her knowledge and create meaningful change. After earning her undergraduate degree in social justice and peace studies, she began exploring new opportunities and fell in love with the program and the warm community at Grebel. The small class sizes and seminar-based courses were a big part of what shaped her decision.

“It’s not just ideas about peace, Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) gives you the tools to know how to make it happen in your community and the world”, says Willow Carmount, a recent graduand of the Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) program at the University of Waterloo. Her journey at the university began as a Social Development Studies student, however after taking her first PACS course, she knew immediately it was the perfect program for her. She felt empowered to challenge the way she sees things; something she was not getting from her other courses.

On March 12, 2025, three University of Waterloo students based at Conrad Grebel University College competed in the Annual C. Henry Smith Oratorical Speech Contest established by the late C. Henry Smith in 1974. Each student presented their speech to a panel of judges along with an audience of staff, faculty, and students. Teena Faust, a second-year Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) and Philosophy student, was awarded first place and a cash price of $1000. She will represent Grebel and the University of Waterloo at the bi-national speech competition later this year. Ella Funk, a fourth-year creative and professional writing student, won second place and a cash prize of $500. Finally, in third place, winning a cash prize of $300 was Lucas Shumaker, a third-year international student studying environmental engineering.

If there’s anyone who likes breaking down barriers and seeing what’s on the other side, it’s Benny Skinner (BA 2019, MA 2023). They are a human rights advocate, award-winning rugby player on an inclusivity-driven Premier League team, and Indigenous Research Advisor who positively affects the world through activism. Benny’s commitment to social justice was enhanced by Conrad Grebel University College’s Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) program, the place where they learned how to challenge and change a society where injustice runs deep.

B.B. Adewusi initially accepted her offer in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo, however, her journey would lead her through three different faculties, ultimately deciding to pursue an arts degree with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS). Her decision was driven by the practical benefits of the PACS program and its significance in making a positive impact on students and the world. Finding a program that was meaningful and intellectually stimulating was important to her. She felt that the other faculties could not provide the unique opportunities and perspectives that PACS offered.

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.

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.