(HARRISONBURG, Va. – April 30, 2008) James Madison University’s (JMU) Mine Action Information Center, a public policy center focused on humanitarian mine action issues, today announced Anthony Morin as the 2008-2009 U.S. Department of State’s Frasure-Kruzel-Drew Humanitarian Demining Fellowship recipient.
The annual fellowship position with the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) is reserved for a JMU senior or recent graduate. Morin, a senior justice studies major with Asian studies and political science minors from Chesapeake, Va., will be the 17th JMU student to fill the position since the program started in 1999.
“This fellowship offers a one-of-a-kind learning experience for a JMU student,†Suzanne Fiederlein, senior research associate at the MAIC, said. “Tony is a deserving recipient. I have watched his interest in mine action develop over the past two years and I have no doubt he will go above and beyond the requirements of the position.â€
The fellow is tasked with a variety of duties, including drafting press releases, conducting issue research, preparing presentations and participating in projects with other PM/WRA staff. Fellows often have the opportunity for international travel, primarily as a part of policy assessments.
Derek Kish, the 2007-2008 fellow, has traveled to Peru and Sudan. Other fellows have gone on to continue their work in the mine action field, or related areas. The 2006-2007 fellow, Elise Becker, is currently working for the Marshall Legacy Institute, a non-profit organization focused on assisting countries in establishing affordable and sustainable programs to free them from the landmine threat.
Morin has been a research assistant at the MAIC since 2006. Morin has developed a passion for mine action and a desire to “directly impact and make better the lives of those less fortunate.†In his two years with the center, Morin has worked on a wide range of grant-funded projects that have expanded his interests. His work at the MAIC aligns with his major’s focus in global policy and justice. His favorite projects include victim assistance work and the UNDP Senior Managers Course, a leadership-training program for senior mine action managers from mine-affected countries. (continued)
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“I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in international humanitarian affairs, and the FKD Fellowship without a doubt offers a unique opportunity to start on that path,†Morin says. “Working with an agency as prestigious as the U.S. Department of State on an issue as globally significant as humanitarian demining is something that I will be honored to do and something that I feel will definitely help jump start my professional life.â€
Morin will begin his work in Washington, D.C. at the Department of State’s office in June.
About the Mine Action Information Center
The Mine Action Information Center at James Madison University is a public policy center which manages information and conducts training relevant to humanitarian mine clearance, victim assistance, mine risk reduction and other landmine-related issues. As an information clearinghouse, the MAIC operates a help desk for queries, hosts conferences and symposia on landmine-related topics, publishes a journal about mine action, maintains a content-rich web site, develops mine-action education materials, produces global information system (GIS) products, and conducts studies and surveys designed to facilitate and improve global landmine action.
The MAIC has a full-time staff that organizes faculty, students and other subject-matter experts into teams to address specific landmine-related issues. Drawing on university programs and mine-action experience, the MAIC is in a unique position to facilitate integrative approaches and innovative solutions to mine action information and training.
About the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement
The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) was established in 1998 and helps maintain the objectives of the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program. The Program supports 36 countries on 5 continents and works closely with other government agencies such as the Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Council and the White House. PM/WRA also handles U.S. policy on anti-personnel landmines and small arms, light weapons.
