Achievements
AU Chaplain Appointed to Board of US Institute for Peace
Twenty-eight hours after President Obama raised his right hand to be sworn into his second term, university chaplain Joe Eldridge swore the same oath, just farther down the Mall.
After a grueling six-month US Senate confirmation process, Eldridge was named to the Board of Directors of the United States Institute for Peace (USIP).
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big deal for me,鈥 he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 humbled to be part of that board. It鈥檚 an honor. It鈥檚 a sphere that鈥檚 not my usual peer group. It鈥檚 great. I hope honestly that I can make a meaningful contribution.鈥
USIP 鈥 founded in 1984 and housed on the National Mall 鈥 promotes ground-breaking peace strategies and the mitigation of conflict around the world. As a part of the organization鈥檚 sixteen-member bipartisan board, Eldridge will help steer USIP鈥檚 larger mission.
Though the group has yet to meet for their first of four quarterly meetings, Eldridge is more than excited to get started.
鈥淭he board is primarily responsible for governance and setting the overall policy framework,鈥 he says. 鈥淭o the extent to which I can help the institution think with imagination about innovative ways to advance peace, I want to do that.鈥
While Congress exited the grips of the fiscal cliff crisis last month, Eldridge鈥檚 confirmation was one of the final items to come across the Senate鈥檚 agenda. It was a relief for Eldridge, as pushing his confirmation to the next Congress would have restarted his six-month vetting process from scratch.
鈥淭his was apparently one of the last acts of the United States Congress that afternoon on January first,鈥 he says. 鈥淎s the curtain was coming down on the One Hundred Twelfth Congress, the Congress approved forty of the President鈥檚 nominations, including me.鈥
Eldridge received his nomination to the new post through Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. Long-time friends since 1976, when Eldridge led Senator Harkin to Chile to investigate atrocities committed under the Pinochet regime, the two have traveled extensively about Central America together for similar issues. The Senator also nominated Eldridge鈥檚 wife to the board almost two decades ago.
Coming from a religious approach to human rights, Eldridge believes he鈥檚 a bit unique among his colleagues on the board; though he sees room for him to work during his four-year term.
鈥淚 think my background is a little unusual. I鈥檓 the only chaplain,鈥 he says. 鈥淭hey do have a program on religion and peacemaking, which I do hope to be more acquainted with.鈥
LEARN MORE: AU鈥檚 International Peace & Conflict Program.
Also an adjunct professor in the School of International Service, Eldridge has taught in the school鈥檚 International Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR) program skill-building institutes, where he also helped pioneer a social entrepreneurship master鈥檚 program.
He believes his new post with USIP mirrors much of what AU is all about.
鈥淭his is a very publically minded university. We鈥檙e a private university with a public mission,鈥 he says.
Particularly, he鈥檒l be taking what he鈥檚 learned from his work with the IPCR program, whose philosophy statement promotes 鈥榯he transcendent power to look for ways of resolving differences, reaching reconciliation, and creating social healing.鈥
鈥淭hese are my marching orders,鈥 Eldridge says. 鈥淚 hope to bring, to the extent that it is possible, that witness to my fellow board members.鈥
So, while he may be off campus and on the National Mall making change, Eldridge will be carrying a bit of AU鈥檚 heart and soul with him as he fulfills his oath and helps promote peace across the globe.