Conference:
April 2024: Edgewood College hosted WIPCS for a student-faculty conference on April 5, 2024, on Resource Wars: Conflict & Peacebuilding in a World of Environmental Challenge. There were 2 plenary sessions, 9 breakout sessions, and over 70 participants. The program is linked in the title.
March 2023: St. Norbert College and WIPCS hosted a student-faculty conference on March 31, 2023, on Innovative Peacebuilding in Times of Trouble. There were 3 plenary sessions, 18 research and pedagogy presentations, and over 35 participants.
Awards:
April 2024: The Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to announce its student award winners for 2024:
Cynthia Chirinda, Student Scholar, UW-Milwaukee, recognized for her work to understand the complexities surrounding peace-building initiatives, as well as her high academic achievement.
Leen Mortada, Student Activist, Marquette University, recognized for her commitment to using the power of education and nonviolence to solve situations of conflict and for her work at the Center for Peacemaking, the Center for Engagement and Inclusion, and the Muslim Student Association.
Amani Dalieh, Student Activist, Marquette University, recognized for her work to promote a future of peace and justice in Israel-Palestine.
Zarifa Saadat, Student Activist, UW-Milwaukee, recognized for her work with BeHuman, UN ICAN, and UWM’s Global Student Alliance, as well as her advocacy for women in Afghanistan and refugees of Afghan origins here in the United States.
March 2023: The Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to announce its student award winners for 2023:
Catherine Nelson, Student Scholar, St. Norbert College, recognized for her use of art to promote environmental education and sustainability, as well as her high academic achievement.
Bethany Kreklow, Student Activist, St. Norbert College, recognized for her work to promote civic engagement and voter education at St. Norbert.
Yareli Suarez, Student Activist, Cardinal Stritch University, recognized for her advocacy for students of color and marginalized communities and her leadership of Dreamers Welcome and the Diversity and Inclusion in Nursing Organization.
April 2022: The Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to announce its student award winners for 2022.
Founding Student Cohort of the Marquette University Indigeneity Lab – Student Activism Award. The Indigeneity Lab provides opportunities for undergraduates to robustly collaborate with both Native and non-Native faculty on several inter-related cross-disciplinary research projects in the sciences and humanities. The 2021 cohort are Danielle Barrett, Bailey Birenbaum, Clare Camblin, Rebecca DeBoer, Cameron Fronczak, Alex Liberato, Sir Lawrence Tender, and Will Egan Waukau.
Sara Kalkhoff, UW-Stevens Point – Student Scholar Award. Sara is recognized for research on gender equality and how to bring about cultural change that will enhance women’s rights in developing countries.
September 2021: On October 9, 2021, the Institute will honor three recipients with the Dick Ringler Distinguished Peace Educator Award. This award recognizes someone who has made a notable contribution to educating their community on peace and conflict issues. Honorees include Janan Najeeb (2019-2020), Geoff Bradshaw (2020-2021), and Joanne Lipo Zovic (2021-2022). Janan Najeeb is president of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition and director of the Islamic Resource Center. Geoff Bradshaw is associate vice president for Intercultural Education at Madison College. Joanne Lipo Zovic is a faculty member in the Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding program at UW-Milwaukee and a facilitator at Mediate Milwaukee. All three honorees embody the Institute’s mission to promote an informed understanding of peace, justice, and conflict and to encourage students, teachers, academics, and the public to become engaged global citizens working toward a just peace. The award presentation is scheduled to take place at the Health, Equity, and Peacebuilding conference hosted by UW-Milwaukee and co-sponsored by the Institute and the Peace and Justice Studies Association.
March 2021: The Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to announce it has awarded a 2021 Student Activist Award to the Marquette University Black Student Union 2020 Summer Working Group in recognition for activism on behalf of students at Marquette and in the greater Milwaukee community. See our Peace Matters blog post for more details.
June 2020: Statement on Uprisings for Racial Justice, June 2020
April 2020: The Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to announce its student award winners for 2020.
Anastassia Christensen, Student Scholar, UW-Milwaukee, recognized for research on refugee women’s health and challenges in the healthcare system.
Jada Woodley, Student Scholar, UW-Milwaukee, recognized for research on social structures and norms that lead to persistence of structural inequalities.
Dreamers Welcome, Student Activists, Cardinal Stritch University, recognized for creating a more just and caring community by promoting cultural awareness and discussions around issues of diversity and inclusion, and also for advocacy for undocumented, DACAmented, and international students.
Monika Ganguly-Kiefner, Student Activist, UW-Milwaukee, recognized for activism on behalf of Groundwork and its work to support and manage projects around urban sustainability, including urban farms and sustainable agriculture.
March 2020: The Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to honor Janan Najeeb with its Dick Ringler Distinguished Peace Educator Award. Janan Najeeb is founding member and president of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition and director of the Islamic Resource Center. She is recognized for her tireless work to promote interfaith understanding and to educate the public about Islam and Muslim Americans.
In Memoriam (founding members of the Institute):
October 2024: Kent Shifferd, Northland College, died October 26, 2024. For many years Kent taught Environmental History at Northland College (Ashland) and started the Peace Studies Program there. He wrote several books including From War to Peace: A Guide to the Next Hundred Years. He served as Executive Director of the Institute twice and was a regular participant in the speakers program and at conferences.
February 2024: Richard Ringler, UW-Madison, died February 22, 2024. He was professor emeritus of English and Scandinavian Studies at UW-Madison. Dick Ringler was integral to the founding of the Institute and a long-time supporter and advocate. Our Distinguished Peace Educator Award is named in his honor.
September 2020: Vincent Kavaloski, Edgewood College, died September 10, 2020. He had a long career in teaching, spending the last 25 years at Edgewood College in the philosophy department. His obituary is here.
June 2020: Leonard Gambrell, UW-Eau Claire, died June 10, 2020. Professor Gambrell was a member of the political science faculty at UW-Eau Claire from 1966 until his retirement in 2002. In 2002 he was awarded the Wisconsin Regents Teaching Excellence Award. His obituary is here.
April 2020: Charles Rumsey, UW-Stevens Point, died April 28, 2020. Professor Rumsey was a member of the history faculty at UW-Stevens Point from 1966 until his retirement in 1991. His obituary is here.
July 2019: Rose Daitsman, UW-Milwaukee, died July 26, 2019. Obituary.
March 2018: Robert E. Clasen, UW-Extension, died March 17, 2018. Obituary.
May 2017: Jane S. Ragsdale, UW-Madison, died May 8, 2017. Obituary.
April 2015: Robert M. Rosenberg, Lawrence University, died April 3, 2015. Obituary.
January 2014: Richard E. Gillespie, Carroll College, died January 3, 2014. Obituary.
March 2000: Milton Feder, Beloit, died March 19, 2000. Obituary.