The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation recently confirmed the award of two District 7070 Global Grant Scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year.
One of the recipients is Spencer McMurray, sponsored by the Toronto East Rotary Club and a graduate of University of Toronto where he received his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Peace, Conflict, and Justice, minor in Political Science. Spencer will pursue a Masters of International Security, with a concentration in conflict resolution and a regional concentration on the Middle East, and the study of Arabic at the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po, in Paris, France. His scholarship was awarded under Rotary Area of Focus Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.
Spencer plans to continue his career in conflict negotiation, building on his experience as a writer and research assistant with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in East Jerusalem. He selected the PSIA program to prepare him to write holistic peace agreements to create sustainable solutions and policies, particularly in post-conflict societies, so that migrants can thrive and live to their full potential.
He believes learning about alternative conflict resolution mechanisms, and writing properly informed agreements, is integral to building sustainable and peaceful societies. His goal is to be a conflict negotiator or peace and development advisor with the UNDP, the Canadian Government or a third-party mediator.
District 7070 is very proud to have been awarded Global Grant Scholarships for two motivated candidates. They represent Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self and their long term goals align with the respective Rotary Area of Focus.