Two Carlow University students will visit the United Nations in June for the Mercy at the UN Advocacy Program.
| Marketing and Communications | For Immediate Release |
| Drew Wilson, Director, Media Relations | May 17, 2016 |
| 412.578.2095 (phone) | |
| 412.260.6807 (cell) | |
| 412.578.2080 (fax) | |
| agwilson@carlow.edu |
Pittsburgh, Pa. — Two Carlow University students, accompanied by Carlow faculty member Sandi DiMola, J.D., will participate in the Mercy at the UN Advocacy Program from June 1-3, 2016 in New York City as part of a group of 12 participants. This year’s program will focus on global advocacy for water rights.
“The program’s desired outcome is to help students, who are grounded in Mercy tradition and values, the opportunity to develop skills in analysis and advocacy for practical application in a variety of contexts, with a view to promoting a just, sustainable and equitable world for peoples and the planet,” said Moya K. Ditmeier, PhD., the executive director of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education.
This is the fourth Mercy at the UN Advocacy Program, which is open to students from colleges and universities sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, who have an office in the United Nations building in New York, as well as special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. The Sisters of Mercy are recognized as a non-governmental organization (NGO) by the UN. This year’s program will focus on
“It’s important for Carlow to join other Mercy institutions at the world’s largest global forum,” said DiMola, the chair of the Department of Justice Studies at Carlow, a Fulbright Scholar, and one of the founding members of Mediators Beyond Borders, an NGO engaged in capacity building in post-conflict societies. “Students experience a real connection to the Mercy mission by learning how advocacy can transform the interests of marginalized populations into tangible, protected rights. This year’s cohort will focus on access to water as a human right and its attendant social, political, and economic impacts on vulnerable populations.”
The Carlow students will be Traci Johnson, a senior political science major from Pittsburgh’s North Side, and Moira Stuart, a first year political science major from Brentwood, Pa.
Johnson has an interest in foreign policy and hopes to gain a first-hand experience on the inner workings of global advocacy. “I hope to, one day, serve as a global advocate for those who need a voice,” Johnson says, “and bring attention and change to their situations.”
Stuart has an interest in women’s rights, specifically how economic inequality affects women and minorities. Stuart’s personal goal while attending the program is to learn more about international relations, especially in regards to current situations like the Syrian refugee crisis.
For more information about the Mercy at the UN Advocacy Program, please visit the Conference for Mercy Higher Education website at http://www.mercyhighered.org/unproject_students.html
About Carlow University
Carlow is a private, co-educational, Catholic university located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s “Tech, Ed, and Med” district. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Carlow’s graduates, curriculum, and partnerships reflect its strong commitment to social justice; ethical, forward-thinking and responsible leadership; and service to the community that has a meaningful impact. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in three major areas: Health and Wellness, Leadership and Social Change, and Innovation and Learning. Carlow graduates are in demand for their professional expertise, in fields ranging from nursing, the sciences, and perfusion technology to counseling, education, and forensic accounting; their entrepreneurial spirit and creative mindset; and their ability to manage change. Carlow’s eleven athletic teams are known as the Celtics, a reflection of the university’s Irish heritage and roots.