Participation in the PACS Program offers many opportunities for learning outside the classroom on and off-campus, locally and globally. Students are encouraged to participate in conferences, field trips, and a PACS-sponsored student peace club. Also, every student who majors in Peace and Conflict Studies must complete a relevant internship, and students who minor in PACS are strongly recommended to choose this option.
PACS Internships
The PACS internship is a very valuable component of a student's educational experience. The internship introduces students to PACS-related vocations and through actual service with organizations and settings that focus on the application of peace and conflict studies in real-life situations, students become more aware of vocational choices. The internship also allows students to develop skills and deepen their self-understanding as they are guided and mentored by seasoned professionals in the field. This experience forms students to be more effective in future PACS-related vocations. Additionally, through their internships, students develop social and vocational networks. The people and organizations students encounter and the relationships they develop are invaluable resources for future vocations. The links below offer examples of internship possibilities and do not imply an endorsement from either the PACS Program or Messiah College.
Experiential Learning/PACS Field Trips
In addition to the internship, PACS students also participate in other forms of experiential learning. At least one PACS field trip is planned each semester, and recent field trips include visits to faith-based organizations and relevant governmental agencies in Washington, DC. Students also have the opportunity to participate in on-campus events such as attending lectures, participating in group discussions, and living in a PACS-related special interest house. Students also participate in the Peace Fellowship, a student organization that organizes PACS-related events and service projects on and off-campus.
Attending student conferences that relate to PACS are also an invaluable form of experiential learning. For example, several students annually participate in the student seminar at the United Nations organized by Mennonite Central Committee. The PACS Program at Messiah College also selects one student to serve on the Board of the Mennonite Central Committee-East Coast, and this is a rare and invaluable opportunity for students to participate in a major faith-based international organization that is focused exclusively on PACS-related service.
Internships/Experiential Learning (Typically Over the Course of a Summer, Semester, or Full Year)
Click the name of the organization to visit their internship page:
Partnering with nonviolent movements around the world, CPT seeks to embody an inclusive, ecumenical, and diverse community of God's love. We believe we can transform war and occupation, our own lives, and the wider Christian world through the nonviolent power of God's truth, partnership with local peacemakers, and bold action. CPT places teams at the invitation of local peacemaking communities that are confronting situations of lethal conflict. These teams seek to follow God's Spirit as it works through local peacemakers who risk injury and death by waging nonviolent direct action to confront systems of violence and oppression.
Tens of thousands of people work with FCNL to connect historic Quaker testimonies on peace, equality, simplicity, and truth with peace and social justice issues. Our nonpartisan, multi-issue advocacy is changing U.S. policy.
On Earth Peace is now providing three-month internships for college students. The purposes of On Earth Peace internships are to advance our work, to achieve success in specific programs and initiatives, and to offer skill development and personal growth for emerging peacebuilders in a faith-based nonprofit setting, fulfilling our mission to develop leadership for peace in each generation. Internship positions are available in a variety of our program and administrative areas.
The Veterans of Hope Project is a multifaceted educational initiative on religion, culture, and participatory democracy. We encourage a healing-centered approach to community-building that recognizes the interconnectedness of spirit, creativity, and citizenship. Our educational materials are designed to support reconciliation, nonviolence, and an appreciation for the value of indigenous and folk wisdom for contemporary times.
Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change ("The King Center") has been a global destination, resource center, and community institution for over a quarter-century.
PBI is an international NGO that has been promoting nonviolence and protecting human rights since 1981. Our work is based on the principles of non-partisanship and non-interference in the internal affairs of the organizations we accompany. We believe that lasting transformation of conflicts cannot be imposed from outside, but must be based on the capacity and desires of local people. Therefore we do not take part in the work of the organizations we accompany. Rather our role is to open political space and provide moral support for local activists to carry out their work without fear of repression.
Carnegie Council's internship program provides an exciting opportunity for students interested in international relations to experience the inner workings of an organization exploring the ethical dimensions of international affairs. During the September-June program year, interns will have the opportunity to attend the Council's numerous high-profile lectures and discussions, featuring leading experts and practitioners in international affairs. Preference is given to graduate students. Interns are recruited year-round on a semester basis and all internships are filled on a rolling basis. The internships are unpaid, although a stipend for commuting costs is available.
There are many ways you can participate in MCC's mission; you can serve in your own community or on the other side of the world. We also have programs specifically for young adults. Browse through our current openings to find opportunities to work or serve with MCC. Or check out our Frequently asked questions to learn more about what it's like to serve with MCC.
The Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, in association with Bethel College, offers the Certificate in Conflict Resolution. This skills-based certificate emphasizes active, hands-on, and experiential learning that allows the application of theory to practice.
The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship was established in 1987 to recruit and train the next generation of policy and advocacy leaders on a range of international peace and security issues by providing recent college graduates with an opportunity to work with one of the participating public-interest organizations in Washington, DC. The fellowship bridges the gap between academia and the working world by providing an entree to socially-conscious people eager to learn about and contribute to the world of public-interest organizations.
Peace Action is the nation's largest grassroots peace network with chapters and affiliates in states across the country. We organize our network to place pressure on Congress and the Administration through write-in campaigns, Internet actions, citizen lobbying, and direct action. Through a close relationship with progressive members of Congress, we play a key role in devising strategies to move forward peace legislation. As a leading member of various coalitions, we lend our expertise and large network to achieving common goals.
The mission of Solidarity Uganda is to empower communities with alternative transformational educational experiences useful for cultivating holistic peace and justice throughout Uganda. They envision a united Uganda actively pursuing the full joy of God through liberating itself from all forms of oppression. Solidarity Uganda falls within the category of holistic community and human development. It is specifically targeted at educating the most vulnerable communities through the alternative styles of discussion-based "problem-posing" education.
The Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP), an institute of Canadian Mennonite University, offers a selection of five-day courses each June. Courses can be taken for professional or personal development or academic credit. CSOP is a learning community of diverse peacebuilders who come together to learn, network, and engage in peacebuilding. This requires respect, curiosity, and a broad range of connecting points for both students and faculty. CSOP is for peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups.
The Balkans Semester for the Study of War and Peace is an interdisciplinary, humanities-based program centered around the themes of war and peace, conflict, and reconciliation. The program will provide students a unique opportunity to study these themes while learning first-hand from people on both sides of recent wars and genocides who are grappling daily with problems of justice and forgiveness and with navigating a path toward sustainable peace.
Colaborers is a 501c3 U.S. charity. They assist indigenous-led groups in reaching their own communities in Zambia and India. They help through prayer, in-kind donations/resources, donor development and response, student volunteers & interns, and support staff.
The Washington Peace Center provides education, resources, and action for those working for positive social change and a world free from oppression. We strengthen the impact of the peace and justice movements by fostering greater collaboration among activist groups, bridging the gap between global, national & local issues and communities and providing the material support to achieve these goals.
The Sisters of the Humility of Mary offer women a one-year immersion in spiritual growth and formation. Just One Year is an opportunity to participate in a rich, spiritual life found for centuries by those searching for growth and transformation through prayer, service, and learning. Sisters minister in health care systems as hospital and hospice chaplains, as bereavement caregivers, and caring for persons with disabilities. Sisters are directors of mission integration and serve in governance and management roles.
Also, visit Messiah's Internship Center Homepage and The Agape Center for more information about opportunities.