EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - Graduate School of Public & International Affairs
Master of International Development - Expected May 2008
Major: Human Security / Human Rights
ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY– Institute for Asian Studies (Queens, NY)
Bachelor of Arts – Asian Studies, Minor: Government - May 2006
Graduated magna cum laude
EXPERIENCE
Senior Researcher / Project Leader (2006-Present)
Ford Institute for Human Security – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Regional Focus: Liberia & Sierra Leone
President (2007-Present)
Child Soldiers Reintegration Fund – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Director, Child Soldiers Restoration Initiative (2007-Present)
Mediators Beyond Borders – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Child Soldier Project Manager (Internship 2007)
United Nations Development Programme / VESCOAL
Buduburam Refugee Camp – Ghana, Africa
Research Associate & Head Intern (Internship 2006)
United States Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration / U.S. Commercial Service – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
International Exchange Coordinator (2006-2007)
EF Foundation for Foreign Study – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Additional Leadership Experience
~ Licensed Realtor, Finders Keepers Inc., College Station, Texas (2002-2004)
~ President, Student Government Association, Blinn College, Texas (2003-2004)
~ Assistant Youth Director, Lakeside Fellowship Church, Roanoke, Texas (2002-2003)
~ President, Student Government, Schiller International University, United Kingdom (2001-2002)
CONFERENCE PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS
January, 2008 - "The Problem of Reintegration: Child Soldiers in Buduburam”, Development Lecture Series, Ashesi
University College – Accra, Ghana
November, 2007: “Peace in Action: A Reflection on Buduburam”, Peace in Action Series, Center for the Study of
Conflict at Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October, 2007: “The Child Soldiers of Western Africa: A Basic Introduction” , World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh –
Teach Africa Youth Forum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March, 2007: “Formidable Conflict in the Formative Years: Child Soldiers in West Africa” for the G.L.O.B.E. Program
at Franklin Regional, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March, 2007: “War Affected Children and the Challenge of Solidarity” for the Central Catholic Human Rights
Initiative for Societal Transformation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
LANGUAGES
~ German (fluent)
~ Spanish (fluent)
~ Chinese (basic/moderate)
~ Korean (basic/moderate)
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
~ Germany (3yrs)
~ United Kingdom (1yr)
~ Mexico (1yr)
~ Ghana (4 mo.)
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
~ De Zafra Leadership Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, 2007
~ Nationality Room Committee Scholarship for Africa, University of Pittsburgh, 2007
~ St. John’s University Gold Key Award, College of Liberal Arts, 2006 (Top Student within Major)
~ Deans List, College of Liberal Arts, St. John’s University, (All Academic Years)
~ Vanguard Honor’s Publication (SJU), “Japan: A Post War Hero?” Vol. 3(1), 2005/2006
~ Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, St. John’s University, 2006
~ Alpha Psi Omega Theater Honor Society, St. John’s University, 2005
~ Student of the Year, Student Government Association, Blinn College, 2004
~ Student of the Year, Texas State JCSGA Region Four, 2004
RESEARCH
Research responsibilities at the Ford Institute for Human Security include the construction of databases, cataloging,
mapping, organization of research, and the formulation of research into coherent presentations. Research at the Ford
Institute that I have personally produced has been directed toward the following issues:
- Child soldiers, migration patterns, and human rights abuses in Western Africa (focus: Liberia)
- Organization of a functional database pertaining to Child Soldiers in the Third World
Other Titles & Topics
- Transforming Lethal Disease into a Manageable Malady: HIV/AIDs Crisis in Sub-Sahara Africa
- Anti-American Sentiments in South Korea
- Censorship in China: A History Rewritten
- Human Rights Abuses in North Korea
- Disenchantment of Dalits and Democratic Principle in India
- Japan: A Post-War Hero?
- Spratly Island Conflicts
- The Korean War and MacArthur: Weathering the First Limited War
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
American Political Science Association (APSA) - Human Rights Section
International Political Science Association (IPSA)
Mediators Beyond Borders
Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - Graduate School of Public & International Affairs
Master of International Development - Expected May 2008
Major: Human Security / Human Rights
ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY– Institute for Asian Studies (Queens, NY)
Bachelor of Arts – Asian Studies, Minor: Government - May 2006
Graduated magna cum laude
EXPERIENCE
Senior Researcher / Project Leader (2006-Present)
Ford Institute for Human Security – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Regional Focus: Liberia & Sierra Leone
President (2007-Present)
Child Soldiers Reintegration Fund – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Director, Child Soldiers Restoration Initiative (2007-Present)
Mediators Beyond Borders – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Child Soldier Project Manager (Internship 2007)
United Nations Development Programme / VESCOAL
Buduburam Refugee Camp – Ghana, Africa
Research Associate & Head Intern (Internship 2006)
United States Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration / U.S. Commercial Service – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
International Exchange Coordinator (2006-2007)
EF Foundation for Foreign Study – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Additional Leadership Experience
~ Licensed Realtor, Finders Keepers Inc., College Station, Texas (2002-2004)
~ President, Student Government Association, Blinn College, Texas (2003-2004)
~ Assistant Youth Director, Lakeside Fellowship Church, Roanoke, Texas (2002-2003)
~ President, Student Government, Schiller International University, United Kingdom (2001-2002)
CONFERENCE PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS
January, 2008 - "The Problem of Reintegration: Child Soldiers in Buduburam”, Development Lecture Series, Ashesi
University College – Accra, Ghana
November, 2007: “Peace in Action: A Reflection on Buduburam”, Peace in Action Series, Center for the Study of
Conflict at Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October, 2007: “The Child Soldiers of Western Africa: A Basic Introduction” , World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh –
Teach Africa Youth Forum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March, 2007: “Formidable Conflict in the Formative Years: Child Soldiers in West Africa” for the G.L.O.B.E. Program
at Franklin Regional, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March, 2007: “War Affected Children and the Challenge of Solidarity” for the Central Catholic Human Rights
Initiative for Societal Transformation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
LANGUAGES
~ German (fluent)
~ Spanish (fluent)
~ Chinese (basic/moderate)
~ Korean (basic/moderate)
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
~ Germany (3yrs)
~ United Kingdom (1yr)
~ Mexico (1yr)
~ Ghana (4 mo.)
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
~ De Zafra Leadership Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, 2007
~ Nationality Room Committee Scholarship for Africa, University of Pittsburgh, 2007
~ St. John’s University Gold Key Award, College of Liberal Arts, 2006 (Top Student within Major)
~ Deans List, College of Liberal Arts, St. John’s University, (All Academic Years)
~ Vanguard Honor’s Publication (SJU), “Japan: A Post War Hero?” Vol. 3(1), 2005/2006
~ Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, St. John’s University, 2006
~ Alpha Psi Omega Theater Honor Society, St. John’s University, 2005
~ Student of the Year, Student Government Association, Blinn College, 2004
~ Student of the Year, Texas State JCSGA Region Four, 2004
RESEARCH
Research responsibilities at the Ford Institute for Human Security include the construction of databases, cataloging,
mapping, organization of research, and the formulation of research into coherent presentations. Research at the Ford
Institute that I have personally produced has been directed toward the following issues:
- Child soldiers, migration patterns, and human rights abuses in Western Africa (focus: Liberia)
- Organization of a functional database pertaining to Child Soldiers in the Third World
Other Titles & Topics
- Transforming Lethal Disease into a Manageable Malady: HIV/AIDs Crisis in Sub-Sahara Africa
- Anti-American Sentiments in South Korea
- Censorship in China: A History Rewritten
- Human Rights Abuses in North Korea
- Disenchantment of Dalits and Democratic Principle in India
- Japan: A Post-War Hero?
- Spratly Island Conflicts
- The Korean War and MacArthur: Weathering the First Limited War
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
American Political Science Association (APSA) - Human Rights Section
International Political Science Association (IPSA)
Mediators Beyond Borders
Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society
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You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is
an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the
ocean does not become dirty. -Mohandas Gandhi
an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the
ocean does not become dirty. -Mohandas Gandhi
| Penelope Bissett Research, News, and Information |
