MEET MARTHA

All Hansen Alums, Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Martha is a wonderful person who is leading a Hansen Alumni project online. Stay tuned here, and on the Facebook group page for the Hansen Summer Institute. Martha will be surveying you all shortly on what you are doing and what we can do together, from cooperating with each other, to cooperating with USD alumni, to creating a newsletter....We need your help in making sure we connect with all 81 Hansen alums, especially those not on Facebook. May peace prevail! ;) "Uncle Ron"

Martha D. Garcia (Yucaipa, California). B.A. in Human Development and a minor in Latin American studies from the University of California, San Diego; M.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of San Diego. As an undergraduate Martha participated with the Catholic Community at UCSD’s student leadership training program in community service, which she credits with shaping her commitment to social justice. Following graduation from her undergraduate program she served as a co-director of this same student program where she mentored ten student leaders a year cultivating effective interpersonal skills, social responsibility and personal accountability.

As part of her Master’s program experience at USD, Martha and her fellow classmates designed an on the ground internship experience in Tanzania. She and eight other members of her cohort visited and assessed operations at a UN camp for refugees displaced from the conflict in the DRC. Her additional professional experience includes working in the social services and mental health fields, and fundraising for scientific research in the area of environmental sustainability and climate change. Martha’s special interests as they relate to global development include human and civil rights advocacy, and conflict resolution.

This year Martha is the coordinator for the Peacebuilding Network Project which aims to design and implement a system of social networking strategies for Hansen Summer Institute alumni. Hopefully this project will result in some well supported resources and information that allows Hansenians to continue to access the principles of Hansen together online. To get this project underway you will soon be asked to complete a short survey. The survey will capture information that will aid us in determining your current needs and interests. Thanks for your continued support to the Hansen Summer Institute.