Dear Class of 2020 - A message from Dean Alpaslan Özerdem

You're graduating successfully from the world's most prominent peace and conflict resolution school. Therefore, I congratulate you wholeheartedly on this beautiful day of celebration. I would also like to congratulate your families, friends, loved ones, and of course, our outstanding faculty and staff who have always supported you on this journey.

From the moment you entered through the doors of the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (soon to become Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution), whatever your belief, language, gender, race, nationality or lifestyle, you became the core and an integral part of who we are. By internalizing the academic and universal principles of our School, you have already contributed so much to our institution. The Carter School will continue to flourish with your future outstanding conflict prevention and peacebuilding work in your communities. 

After today, you will be known as Carter School alumni.  Yes, like every separation, sadness is inevitable, but we know that as a graduate of the Carter School, you will always be part of our family even if you’re miles away.  The future trajectories of the Carter School will be your trajectories, its success will be your honor, just as your success will be the rightful pride of the Carter School.

I congratulate all of you one by one and wish that your path guides you to discover ways to help make the world a more just, prosperous, and peaceful place.

Congratulations Class of 2020!  Best wishes and good luck!