Volume 24 | August 2024

Forage Center News

A Successful Coastal Promise 2024

This summer's Forage Center Coastal Promise Humanitarian Simulation was a huge success. Thank you to the 40 students and role players who participated and made it happen. The 3-day full immersion exercise is designed for graduate students in peacebuilding, humanitarian studies, and related fields. To read more about this year's exercise go here. For information about past exercises, read here, here, here.

Coastal Promise recreates the challenges and conditions professionals encounter in complex emergencies characterized by conflict, disaster, and humanitarian need. During the event, participants, acting as members of a non-governmental organization, engage in intensive negotiations, humanitarian assistance and assessment, peacebuilding engagement, and advocacy as part of a scenario based on a realistic conflict or humanitarian crisis.

If your organization or institution is interested in hosting a site based program, please let us know! Contact heather@foragecenter.org.

Stay tuned for information about the Coastal Promise 2025 exercise

Apply to the Paul Forage Fellows Program

The Forage Center values and encourages the continuing involvement of its student participants after they have attended an exercise. Dr. Paul Forage was the quintessential educator, cultivating a cadre of former students who continued to work with him long after they had participated in a program. He sought the continued involvement of graduates in the work of humanitarian education. By establishing the Paul Forage Fellows Program, the Forage Center is continuing this effort.

The Paul Forage Fellows Program is a 9-month remote fellowship opportunity for current undergraduate and graduate students or recent grads who have also completed a Forage Center program. Each fall a new class of one to four fellows will be selected to serve from September 23 through June 30 paid $18/hour for 5 hours of work per month. If you are interested and to find out about the criteria, go here. The application deadline is August 23, 2024. Please email sarahd@foragecenter.org if you have questions about the process. Go here to learn about our current fellows.

Thank You Alum for Completing the Survey

We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all the alumni who took the time to complete our survey in April. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps shape our future initiatives.

Here are a couple of impactful quotes from the survey:

“It was one of the best experiences in my educational life. It helped me understand what it means to be a humanitarian worker.”

“The simulation experience expanded on my ability to assess the situation, develop a plan, and carry it out in times of crises. Additionally, it confirmed once more the importance of empathy, not only in times of crises but also in times of peace and everyday interactions with community members.”

Your insights and reflections inspire us and reaffirm the impact of our programs. Thank you once again for your continued support and engagement!

Celebrating Staff and Welcoming New Team Members

Our New Administrative Specialist

Heather Payne, a 2016 Forage Center Alum, has been a program specialist since 2021 and recently added to her portfolio by taking over the role of administrative specialist.

Heather is a 2016 graduate of George Mason University's master's program in conflict resolution. She has worked in South Sudan and Lebanon as a humanitarian worker.

Volunteer Spotlight

In this year's exercise we had two new volunteers from Garrett County, join our exercise as role players. Cindy Mankaymer and Darla Soles (in the red vests) live 5 minutes from the exercise site in Swanton, MD. With a strong nursing background and extensive experience in humanitarian medical missions, Cindy and Darla brought invaluable expertise and dedication to our exercise. Their commitment to serving others truly exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism and humanitarian work.

12th Annual National Community College Peacebuilding Seminar

The Forage Center sponsors the Annual National Community College Peacebuilding Seminar. The virtual seminar is designed for community college educators and students interested in peacebuilding and international affairs. Planning for the 2024 fall program will start shortly. If you are interested in participating or attending, contact heather@foragecenter.org.

Forage Center Conversations to Start Up Soon

In an effort to advance humanitarian and peacebuliding awareness, the Forage Center hosts Forage Center Conversations. These are virtual YouTube based conversations with experts and those working in the field about current topics of interest. Look for information about our upcoming conversations on our website.

Career Resources, Education + Training

Comprehensive List of Sites as a good starting list for online career exploration

Humanitarian Careers for a more focused look at the field

Disaster Ready as a good online option for further training

Master's degree in humanitarian action at the University of San Diego's Kroc School as an online graduate degree option

And to keep up on issues in the field, read The New Humanitarian

Make a tax deductible gift to the Forage Center. Help empower emerging humanitarians!

DONATE HERE