Webinar: Welcome Corps on Campus – Feb 6

Posted by PHENND on January 9, 2024

Join us to learn more about a new initiative of the State Department, Welcome Corps on Campus.

Colleges and universities have a rich legacy of welcoming refugees, embracing the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds that newcomers bring to America. Campuses across the United States have implemented innovative programs and practices to aid refugees and other vulnerable communities as they access higher education, achieve degree completion, prepare to enter the workforce, and find long-term success. A first-of-its kind program for refugee students, the Welcome Corps on Campus links higher education access to resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which provides a path to permanent legal status in the United States.

Register here on Zoom

Speakers:

James Maker Atem is a Refugee Advisor at the Welcome Corps on Campus and Special Advisor to the UNHCR’s Refugee Advisory Groups for the 2024 Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways, bringing six years of expertise in humanitarian efforts, higher education, resettlement, and the protection of civilians. His professional journey includes roles such as Tertiary Connected Learning Coordinator with the UNHCR in Kenya, Lecturer at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kenya, and most recently, a Progamme Management Intern at the UN Office of Counter Terrorism. Additionally, he actively contributes as a guest speaker on the Protection of Civilians for UNMISS within the Department of Peace Operations. James holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of International Affairs at Columbia University.

Ayman Habib is an undergraduate pursuing her degree in Global Affairs at George Mason University’s Honors College. Ayman serves as the Director of Administration and Logistics for No Lost Generation, a student organization committed to supporting refugees and facilitating their transition into university life. She also holds a research assistant position at the Institute for Immigration Research at Mason. She is passionate about refugee and immigrant advocacy. She will serve as a member of the private sponsorship group sponsored by GMU through the Welcome Corps on Campus Program. Ayman will be using her experience as a first-generation student at the university to assist the students. As an immigrant, she has navigated through the complexities of adjusting to American society and hopes to ease the transition for the new students.

Noor Ghazi, an Iraqi-American peace activist based in the United States. Noor holds an MA in Peace and Conflict Studies with a focus on international Peace Development. She currently serves as the Director of the University Sponsorship Program at Guilford College with ECAR, Every Campus A Refuge. Noor’s extensive involvement as a professor of practice at UNC Chapel Hill-US and visiting lecturer at Mosul University-Iraq has allowed her to dedicate significant time to various peace projects, including a long documentary highlighting life under ISIS in Mosul. With a strong emphasis on conflict in Iraq’s modern history, Noor actively fosters collaborative efforts for peace building by creating inclusive platforms that unite diverse voices towards a more peaceful future in the region.

Olivia Issa serves as Program Lead for the National Association of System Heads’ (NASH) Refugee Resettlement Initiative (RRI), where she works with higher education systems and institutions to build social and economic success for refugees and forced migrants. Olivia has been engaged in migrant-advocacy and refugee resettlement since 2015 across Chicago, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., working with a range of nonprofits and government agencies. Olivia earned a BA in Political Science from the George Washington University.