By Ellie Tiemens | Echo
Scott Moeschberger, professor of psychology and director of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children program (OVC), recently received a fellowship with the University of Notre Dame.
For the Fall 2019 semester, Moeschberger will be living near Notre Dame as a visiting fellow to the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.
"The University of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies is one of the world's leading centers for the study of the causes of violent conflict and strategies for sustainable peace," the Kroc Institute says on their website.
Moeschberger describes it as a hub of practitioners and scholarship with which the best of the best are involved.
Each semester, the Kroc Institute welcomes scholars from universities around the world to live at the Kroc Institute and engage in the life of the university. Current fellows include professors from various disciplines and places such as South Africa, Europe and California.
As a fellow here, Moeschberger's responsibilities will include working on a research paper, presenting his project and being involved in the life of the university through interacting with students and scholars at Notre Dame.
Being a part of this program has long been a dream for Moeschberger as it effectively integrates his two areas of passion: peace and reconciliation and orphans and vulnerable children.
Having started the OVC program at Taylor, Moeschberger is excited to be able to share these passions at the Kroc Institute.
"I am pretty excited to be at Notre Dame and be able to work with my colleague there . . . and to do my research up there and be involved in the life of the institution and be a visiting fellow and faculty," Moeschberger said.
He looks forward to being able to work with Laura Miller-Graff, a colleague of his and professor of psychology at Notre Dame.
Together, Graff and Moeschberger will be working on a project about violence against children and will be developing a manuscript that can be used in psychological perspectives on violence against children.
Additionally, Moeschberger's involvement with this program is beneficial for Taylor as it will be represented in a space of high academia such as Notre Dame.
"While we will miss him on campus this fall, I am thrilled that Moeschberger was selected for this prestigious fellowship," Kara Riggleman, program services director for OVC said. "Moeschberger will not only bring years of experience and wisdom to the table at Notre Dame, but will also return to enrich the OVC program with all that he gains during his sabbatical. The exchange of knowledge is exciting and I am confident Moeschberger's fellowship will enhance what we are doing in the OVC program."
Though Moeschberger will not be teaching the Foundations of the Christian Liberal Arts course for the incoming class of freshmen in the fall, he is confident in the abilities of Jenny Collins, associate professor of missions, who will replace him.
Moeschberger will be back at Taylor in the Spring of 2020 with new experiences that he will be able to translate into the OVC program at Taylor.
"(It is) a chance to really work with and tap into thinking deeply and that will be helpful in forming my own research and sharpening my ideas and to be at the cutting edge of what is happening and some of those conversations is always exciting," Moeschberger said.
