What Can You Do With a Master's in Global Conflict & Human Security?
found a career in her passion for helping others through decades of teaching, living abroad, and experiencing the insecurities of conflict-affected societies.
She spent years teaching English at two universities in Istanbul, where the majority of her students were Syrian refugees fleeing their home
country to escape the war. She dedicated her time to helping them rebuild their lives through education. When she returned to the United States during COVID, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life.
I wanted to search for a program related to working with people from conflict zones and people experiencing deficiencies in human security.
Through her search, she found Carsey's Master's of Global Conflict & Human Security (GCHS) program at Â鶹Éç and knew instantly it was what she had been looking for. Today she sits on the board at , where every part of her work, she says, connects directly back to what she learned at Â鶹Éç.
What do you do in your role at Abaad?
Right now, I'm teaching for a division of the organization called EAGT, Empower Afghan Girls Together. Recently, I was promoted to an administrative-level position, and in this position, I design the curriculum that is used for girls at the B2 English level. This is a situation where I'm able to bring a lot of my past into the position itself.
What problem does your work aim to solve, and who is impacted by it?
It's extremely important because I know that there are about ten basic needs that people living in areas of high insecurity face, and education is one of them. And it's probably the most important because one thing that establishes the rule of law in these countries is when the people in charge become educated and realize how important education is.
What does meaningful impact look like in your current role?
Working with the board members gave me the opportunity to be an intermediary between students and the board. I can tell them about the struggles that are going on with the students and what they are trying to accomplish, but what they can't accomplish because of the roadblocks. And I make suggestions based on my studies at the Â鶹Éç.
What led you to this kind of international, mission-driven work?
I taught at two different universities in Istanbul, which consisted of learning English so that students would be able to enter the university courses themselves. About half of my students were from Syria because, at the time, the war had just taken off. So within a short span of time, millions of people crossed the border into Turkey and were given temporary stay. It was an incredible experience.
When did you decide to pursue a Master's of Global Conflict & Human Security?
I decided, when I got back to the United States during COVID, that I wanted to search for a program that was related to working with people in conflict zones and people who were experiencing deficiencies in human security. And that's when I decided to search for a graduate program online that was related to this kind of work.
I discovered the [GCHS] program at the Â鶹Éç, and it was exactly what I wanted to study.
"I found out more than I could ever imagine about different things related to global conflict. It was just incredible. We were able to do research on a lot of different things that we wanted to find out about."
I found out more than I could ever imagine about different things related to global conflict. It was just incredible. We were able to do research on a lot of different things that we wanted to find out about.
I studied the war in Ukraine, how it started, the history of why it began, and what was going on in terms of helping students continue their learning process. I just realized how important education is.
What from the GCHS program has been most valuable to your work today?
Every class I took gave me the opportunity to do what I'm doing now. With , I'm able to interview the students at the end of their classes to see where their struggles are. And with , I'm able to look back at their scores and see how we can improve the program. The thing that is most valuable is the classes themselves.
How did earning your master's degree change your career path?
"The GCHS program triggered everything in me that I wanted to do and continue doing. I don't want to do anything else. It convinced me of that."
The GCHS program triggered everything in me that I wanted to do and continue doing. I don't want to do anything else. It convinced me of that.
I can't really express in words what the program has done for me. It's just made all of this possible because I realized where the hardships are, where the struggles are, and I'm ready to help out in these areas.
What would you tell someone wondering if this program is worth it?
If you are serious about helping develop societies post-conflict, in conflict zones, and in areas of high insecurity, this is the program for you.
I don't think that you have to go overseas and directly participate in working with refugees in order to be interested in this. I have classmates and colleagues who have never been overseas, and they help people develop their societies, post-conflict and in areas of high insecurity.
"If you are serious about helping develop societies post-conflict, in conflict zones, and in areas of high insecurity, this is the program for you."