The Desmond Tutu Center for Peace, Reconciliation, and Global Justice (DTC) is pleased to announce its 2015-2016 Tutu Fellows. The applications were reviewed by the Desmond Tutu Center Faculty Advisory Committee and selections were based on project merit, past performance of the candidate, and the project’s alignment with the mission of the Desmond Tutu Center: To understand, enhance and impact the local and global discourse around peace, reconciliation and global justice by cultivating research, promoting the exchange and understanding of global issues, developing young leaders and nurturing concern about peace and justice among civic, religious, and academic leaders.

This year’s fellows include:

Dr. John Perkins, Associate Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Butler University, will receive funding for the research and development of a new curriculum entitled “Cultural Competency and Peacebuilding through Choral Singing,” which aims to use choral music as a conduit to create transformative cultural encounters for students by connecting them to choirs in the UAE and Brazil through modern web-based technology.

Dr. Brooke Kandel-Cisco, Assistant Professor of Education and Director for the METL and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs at Butler University’s College of Education and Dr. Susan Adams, Assistant Professor of Education at Butler University’s College of Education, and Ms. May-Oo Mutraw, President of the Burmese Community Center for Education, have been named Tutu Fellows for their project “Welcoming New Neighbors, Finding Brothers and Sisters” that includes the creation of a documentary film featuring Burmese refugees living in Indianapolis and the faith communities that have welcomed them. The documentary aims to raise local awareness of the Burmese community and engage faith communities in conversations that will foster interfaith cooperation and collaboration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The goal of the Desmond Tutu Center for Peace, Reconciliation, and Global Justice Tutu Fellows Program is to encourage and support work that aligns with the mission of the Center. The program is open to projects that involve and engage faculty and students of Butler University and Christian Theological Seminary. Project proposals that involve any combination of the themes of peace, reconciliation, or global justice, broadly defined, were welcomed. The Center will release a call for 2016-2017 Tutu Fellow applications in the spring 2016 semester.