The Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development

(Joseph outside a colonial church in Recife, Brazil)

As part of Fordham's International Peace and Development Travel Scholarship Program, two Fordham IPED students, Ms. Lavern Maison and Mr. Matthew McGarry, spent the Spring and Summer of 2004 in Zimbabwe, while another IPED student, Mr. Joseph Kelly, spent the Spring and Summer of 2004 in Northeast Brazil.  All three students were interning with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as part of their International Peace and Development Travel Scholarships. CRS is the official relief and development agency for the US Catholic community.

Joseph  , a citizen of the United States, earned his B. A. from the University of Notre Dame where he majored in History and Antrhopology.  Prior to his enrollment at Fordham, Joseph served as a Jesuit Volunteer in Peru where he worked with street children as well as taught in a Jesuit High School.  While at Fordham, Joseph focused his studies on development issues and project management. While in Brazil, Joseph helped prepare a successful CRS grant application for a project dealing with water scarcity in the semi-arid regions of Northeast Brazil as well as another successful CRS grant application concerning labor exploitation in some of the coastal towns and cities of Northeast Brazil.

Lavern  , a citizen of the Guyana, received her B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton.  She majored in Economics and Anthropology.  After graduation and prior to her studies at Fordham, Lavern worked in the financial services industry with TD Waterhouse Investor Services. While in Harare, Zimbabwe, Lavern worked primarily with the many local partners of Catholic Relief Services who were dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis in Zimbabwe.  The HIV/AIDS' crisis is a huge problem facing all of southern Africa.

Matthew  , a citizen of the United States, received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where he majored in Government and Spanish.  After graduation and prior to his studies at Fordham, Matthew served as Jesuit Volunteer in Nicaragua where he work primarily on micro-credit projects.  While at Fordham, Matthew focused his coursework on International Development Studies and Project Management. In Harare, Matthew had a number of assignments including Catholic Relief Services' emergency efforts to deal with the food crisis facing the nation of Zimbabwe.

The International Peace and Development (IPD) Travel Scholarship Program provides IPED students with a valuable work experience that they frequently need in order to pursue careers with relief and development organizations. The IPD Travel Scholarship Program also promotes Fordham's Jesuit tradition. Dealing with issues of justice as well as with people in need goes hand in hand with Fordham's mission as New York City's Jesuit University.

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