Institutional Membership in the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies

Thank you for your interest in the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies. We welcome the participation of any Wisconsin university or college in our consortium. I am happy to answer any questions you may have or follow up with your college leadership as needed to establish your membership. At a time when virtually all institutions are seeking to internationalize and/or globalize their curricula and co-curricular programs, the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (WIPCS) is a statewide resource available to help. WIPCS is a unique and vital consortium of private and public colleges and universities dedicated to enriching academic and public discourse on issues of peace and conflict. The Institute is non-partisan and encourages debate and discussion of multiple perspectives, not only of foreign policy issues and global areas of conflict, but also of intercultural communication, gender relations, and environmental sustainability. As the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, I invite your institution to consider enrolling as a member of WIPCS. Membership in this organization is a particularly cost-effective and expedient way to foster student and faculty development and understanding of global issues and to enrich classroom and co-curricular learning. Institutional membership is $950 per year, and offers a wealth of benefits including:

  • Mini-grants for Faculty to support research and course development.
  • Speakers Program. Faculty from participating institutions may invite our speakers to their campus at no charge. Speakers can augment a course or provide a public lecture for the community and for student organizations.
  • Student-Faculty Conference. The Institute sponsors an annual conference to highlight student and faculty research. The conference is hosted by our member schools. The host school chooses the theme and speaker. It is an excellent outlet for student research and student/faculty collaborative projects. The conference features paper presentations, round-table discussions, and creative writing presentations. Students making presentations gain valuable experience and are exposed to diverse opinions on a variety of topics. It is also an opportunity for faculty to share research and ideas across disciplines and for the host school to highlight its own activities and programs.
  • Academic blog space for discussion of peace and conflict issues. The Institute maintains a peer-reviewed scholarly blog with short opinion pieces, academic abstracts, and book reviews on topics relevant to the Institute’s mission.
  • Cooperative Research, Faculty Development, and Curriculum Consulting. Faculty from WIPCS member institutions network across the state and across disciplinary boundaries to share expertise and resources. Faculty invite colleagues from the Speakers Program list to speak to their classes and give public lectures, and they consult each other on peace and conflict studies pedagogy.
  • Annual Distinguished Faculty and Student Awards. Recognizing outstanding faculty contributions in the field brings greater state-level exposure to our member institutions, while student awards recognize young Wisconsin scholars and further their academic and career objectives.

All programs are available to member institutions at no charge, except for individual conference attendance fees. Please be assured that your membership includes direct involvement in WIPCS decision-making and planning. Each member institution appoints one voting member to the Executive Council, which is the decision-making body of the organization. Each member’s Executive Council representative also receives regular information on programs and initiatives, and is asked to forward this information to administrators, colleagues, and students. If you, your administration, or students have any questions regarding WIPCS programs and the benefits that membership can bring to your institution, please contact me through the Institute. I will be happy to speak with you by phone or to arrange a personal visit with you on your campus. Your consideration is deeply appreciated. 

Sincerely, 

Sarah Foust Vinson, Executive Director, Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies