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Press Releases
IIHA Honors Helen Hamlyn Senior fellow arancha garcia del soto
Dr. Arancha Garcia Del Soto came to this campus three years ago to join the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs as the Helen Hamlyn Senior Fellow. It was obvious from the start that she would bring the position to a different level. First, she was a whirlwind of activity – conferences in Colombia, working with the dispossessed in Peru, Sri Lanka, Uganda, writing articles and chapters for books in the field of humanitarian assistance. Second, her openness was a refreshing change – the office was filled with students whose theses needed mentoring, fellow academics working on proposals with foreign universities and organizations, friends visiting from overseas. Most importantly, she was committed to moving outside the walls of academia – to bringing her work in a very applied manner to the field so that her theoretical knowledge complemented her practical application, and in turn was sustained by it. There was not one side without the other, and consequently the strength of her arguments, the level of her passion moved, as it does with the best teachers, both in and out of the classroom, without walls or office hours. During her time at Fordham, Professor Garcia touched the lives of the Fordham community in regards to the importance of humanitarian work in our ever-changing world. Professor Garcia taught undergraduate and graduate classes, was a critical part of the Institute’s Humanitarian Training Programs, and shared her experience and insight in a wide-range of lectures and events in the Fordham community.
On October 1, 2009, her final lecture at Fordham, entitled, “On Life, Love, and the Academy,” could have been alternatively titled “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Professor Garcia collaborated with Hugo Benavides, Professor of Anthropology at Fordham University, Fordham alumnus Luke Nephew, and Yale undergraduate student Sarah Eidelson in discussing personal journeys and experiences both in the field and in academia. In a “kitchen table” format, participants shared opinions on the concepts of self, vocation, and humanitarian work in a conflict-ridden world. The conversation was not a formal panel in the traditional sense; reflecting Professor Garcia’s commitment to exploring the connections of humanity, even the audience was invited to contribute to the discussion. It was, however, a very personal and honest search for what powers us as individuals, what feeds our own odyssey to find our own true voice. It was managed by the panelists with such a light hand that some may have thought it free-form, but this was part of its beauty. It was a concert for four voices on that which makes us human – love, confusion, hope. Professor Garcia has been incredibly proud about helping those around her, especially through her work with the non-profit organization Ariel’s Legacy, which aims to provide services to children and adolescents affected by bi-polar disorder. All proceeds from the auction and sale of her personal effects went to Ariel’s Legacy.
The Institute has been truly honored to work with Professor Garcia del Soto for the past three years. She has agreed to collaborate with the Institute on future projects and will remain a close part of our international academic team. She has been, in short, a beloved friend and partner, and she will be greatly missed by all those who have worked with her.
The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) offers students of all levels an academic base for the study of humanitarian aid. Through multi-disciplinary coursework in humanitarian assistance, negotiations, and disaster management, offered at both the graduate and undergraduate level, the IIHA trains students to find practical solutions to crises through the initiation of discourse and cooperation. The IIHA trains students for careers in the humanitarian field by combining an advanced interdisciplinary approach with the shared practical field experience of both students and faculty.
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, and the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y.
Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs
33 W. 60th St., Suite 804 New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212 636 6294 Fax: 212 636 7060 Email: iiha@fordham.edu
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