Kathryn W. Davis Projects for Peace

  

THE $10,000 DAVIS PROJECTS FOR PEACE PRIZE

HAS BEEN AWARDED ANNUALLY SINCE 2007 TO A CC STUDENT OR GROUP

Upon the occasion of her 100th birthday, international philanthropist Kathryn W. Davis chose to celebrate by committing $1 million to Projects for Peace.

The following information is taken from the Davis Projects for Peace website:

Davis Projects for Peace is an initiative for all students at the Davis United World College Scholars Program partner schools to design grassroots projects for the summer of 2013 - anywhere in the world - which promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties.  We encourage applicants to use their creativity to design projects and employ innovative techniques for engaging project participants in ways that focus on conflict resolution, reconciliation, building understanding and breaking down barriers which cause conflict, and finding solutions for resolving conflict and maintaining peace.  Through a competition on over 90 campuses, projects will be selected for funding at $10,000 each.

We hope to encourage student initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship focusing on conflict prevention, resolution or reconciliation.  Some of the most compelling projects to date have reflected one or more of the following characteristics: contributing to conflict prevention; ameliorating conditions leading to violence/conflict; looking for and building on shared attributes among differing peoples, races, ethnicities, tribes, clans, etc.; fostering diplomacy or otherwise contribute to advancing peace processes underway; promoting economic opportunity and entrepreneurship among those in post-conflict areas; finding creative ways to bring people on opposite sides of issues together, such as through art, sports, music or other techniques to promote a common humanity; developing leadership and mediation skills training for those in conflict or post-conflict societies; starting or leveraging initiatives, organizations (e.g. education, health) or infrastructure projects to build/rebuild community. 

To be considered, a student (or group of students) must prepare a written statement which describes the project (who, what, where, how) including expected outcomes and prospects for future impact (not to exceed two pages) as well as a budget (one separate page).  All written project proposals require a heading to include the following: name of the participating institution, name of all student participants, title of project, country where the project will be performed.  Proposals should include pre-approval of all involved parties and organizations involved in the project.  The two-page proposal and one-page budget should be submitted electronically to the designated official at each campus.

Please refer to the website for more details:  http://www.davisprojectsforpeace.org

 

COLORADO COLLEGE TIMELINE FOR DAVIS PROJECTS FOR PEACE  

October-November: Students should develop project ideas, check with organizations abroad, if any will be used, about support for the project, draft ideas, and talk with committee members about viability

Block 4, Third Friday: Proposals are due to the committee.  Limited to two pages of proposal and one page of budget. 

Block 4 Last week: The committee holds a preliminary meeting to discuss proposals and determines if there are particular questions the committee would like answered about any of the proposals.  These questions are usually sent back to the applicants as the block ends, with request for response in the second week of half-block

Half-Block (end) or Block 5 (one of first three days): The committee meets and compiles all the question responses, re-reads the proposals and determines which proposal will be nominated by the college (almost always will be funded by Davis) and which, if any, proposals should be nominated as an alternate (chosen by committee at Davis Foundation, chances are about one in ten).

Block 5, First week: (if possible) notify the nominee and alternate to begin work on re-writing the proposal

Block 5, second week: Final version of proposal due to both the Associate Dean of the Faculty and the Director of Faculty Research Support.  The Office of the Dean of the College will send the proposal to Davis by their deadline. 

Block 6, usually as spring break starts: Davis notifies the colleges of its winners, including alternates.

Block 7, First Monday: Nominees must respond to Davis with acceptance or they will be replaced. Work with the Office of the Dean on this.

Spring: Meet with the Associate Dean (Jeff Noblett), Director of Faculty Research (Tess Powers), and Study Abroad Coordinator to discuss (and fill out paperwork) about how you plan to proceed 

Summer: Carry out project

Late August: Draft of final report and budget due to the Office of the Dean.

September: Revisions completed and report with budget and attached photos due in the Office of the Dean before September 10.

 

CRITERIA DEVELOPED BY THE REVIEW COMMITTEE TO GUIDE DISCUSSION

• How will this project promote peace and is it compelling?  Davis “encourages applicants to use their creativity to design projects and employ innovative techniques for engaging project participants in ways that focus on conflict resolution, reconciliation, building understanding and breaking down barriers which cause conflict, and finding solutions for resolving conflict and maintaining peace. “

• Evidence of background, knowledge, understanding and/or coursework in proposed area 

• Evidence of having done homework:

- Part 1: contact with organizations on-site

- Part 2: is the budget realistic?

• Is there a clear goal? Is it feasible? (Can it be accomplished in the span of one summer?)

• Is the plan flexible? Are the participants adaptable?

• Is the location the most appropriate one? 

• Have any safety concerns been addressed (has the group met/talked with the study abroad coordinator about possible issues)? 

• To what degree will the project’s impact be lasting?

 

Previous Proposals and Reports

Date	Name of Project	Recipient(s)	Location	Proposal	Report
2012	Viajana Amkeni Sasa Initiative: Creating a Peaceful Society in Kenya	Benjamin Munyao, Collins Mukaria, Eddy Oketch	Kenya	x	x
2011	The Zuia! Initiative	Akie Mochizuki, Nikhil Ranadive, Melissa Serafin	Kenya	x	x
2010	Ain’t No Stoppin’ Da Bus: Travelling Art Workshops for Peace	Shire Brown, Eddie Hazera, Jody Joyner	USA	x	x
2009	The Prozor Project	Joseph Hauck, Max Stein, Antonio Skarica, Melissa Serafin	Bosnia	x	x
2008	Solar Water Disinfection	Valerie Grosscup, Jonathan Spear	Ecuador	x	x
2008	Cover One in Honduras: Promoting Athletics and Healthcare	Ericka Baer, Alina Ford, Max Green, Misael Fernandez, Jocelyn Corbett, Jason Steiert, Billy Blaustein	Honduras	x	x
2007	Unheard Voices for Peace	Michael Shum	Nigeria	x	x

Excellent (but unfunded) Proposals

Date	Name of Project	Proposer(s)	Location	Proposal
2012	Adventures in Interfaith Understanding	Lindsey Pointer, Sam Seiniger	Colorado	x
2011	Out of the Cloud: Promoting Peace and Sustainability in Peru through Interactive Education	Bernadette Stocker, Utsarga Bhattarai	Peru	x
2010	Empowerment Through Edible Forestry	Athena Mikros, Riley Hawkins	Uganda	x
2009	Converting Livestock Manure into a Fuel Source for Thai Ethnic Tribes	Liza Mitchell, Phillip Sasser, Julianne Kellogg	Thailand	x
2009	Movement Towards Peace for the People of Tonga	Rosey Puloka, Amy Rubin, Emily Houston, Madison Moross, Caroline Janeway	Tonga	x
2008	Storytelling: Striving for Peace Through Shared Experience	Elizabeth Gessinger, Rachel Johnson, Jacob Reuter	South Africa	x

2012 All Colleges List of Projects

 

Current Committee Members 2012-2013

Matt Bonser, Associate Director of Admissions

John Gould, Associate Professor of Political Science

Kate Holbrook, Chaplain

Jeff Noblett, Associate Dean of the Faculty

Tess Powers, Director of Faculty Research Support

Peter Wright, Assistant Professor of Religion