ICAR Graduate Orientation Welcomes 121 New Students
The Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) welcomed over one-hundred new faces to its community last week during its annual new student orientation. The occasion spanned three days beginning with the Certificate Student Orientation and ending in a two-day session designed for M.S. and Ph.D. students.
This year's incoming students featured a diverse group of individuals with varied interests and backgrounds. One of these students is James Filipi, incoming M.S. student from Omaha, Nebraska. James commented on his journey here to ICAR, "I had taken an amazing class in Religion, Violence and Conflict Resolution, and happened to run into the professor at a human rights lecture. I told him what I wanted to study and asked him where he would recommend. He said George Mason University."
Faculty and alumni welcomed our newest additions to the ICAR community. This year, faculty got a sense of our incoming students during informal introductions, which highlighted where each student was from and their interests here at ICAR. Afterwards, students had the opportunity to get to know our faculty in what turned out to be one of the most enjoyable moments of the event. "Meeting with and hearing from the professors was great. I thought it was fantastic to find that the faculty had senses of humor," said James Filipi.
As orientation came to a close, the students were asked to participate in a facilitation exercise with current students and alumni. The purpose of this social exercise was to reflect on their path leading to ICAR and what they hope to gain from their time here. James Filipi shared his thoughts, "While at ICAR, I hope to get involved and make use of as many resources and activities as I can. It excites me that there is so much going on in the ICAR community, from working groups, to lectures and other presentations. I hope that I continue to meet fantastic people, make contacts and network, and enjoy as much as I can of the ICAR community."