Dear Paul,
It is my great honor to share that on Thursday, February 27, 2020, the George Mason University Board of Visitors adopted a resolution to rename the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution as the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. This marks a significant moment in our 40-year history. Our new name serves as a tribute to the Carters' steadfast commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict worldwide, and a timely transition as the world faces both entrenched and emerging global threats and human security challenges.
As part of this renaming, the School is seeking to empower current and future peacemakers through securing $10 million to support teaching, research, and practice. We have already raised $4.4 million towards our target goal. Our funding priorities include increased scholarship offerings, enriching faculty production and research, and cultivating opportunities for peacemaking practice at Point of View.
I believe our alumni community is fully committed to a vision that elevates our strengths in the field of conflict resolution towards serving in a global effort of peace and justice. The Carters' unwavering dedication to peace will be our beacon and guide as we move forward into the next 40 years and beyond.
We are sharing this news with those closest to our School—our alumni, students, and faculty—before the wider community learns tomorrow. We invite you to celebrate this occasion and join us in the renaming transition, which will officially culminate on July 1, 2020 when we begin using the name. We will hold a formal dedication event in September 2020. In the meantime, please share with us what this naming means to you.
I aim to build a community that is even more inclusive and connected, recognizing the special place alumni hold for their alma mater. I welcome your feedback and suggestions on how we can engage you in our renaming process as much as possible. Building a close dialogue with you as part of this process would be hugely beneficial for me. Thank you for your dedication and support.
Yours sincerely,
Alpaslan Özerdem
Dean