ICAR Alumni Give Generously

Each year, ICAR alumni provide critical financial and volunteer support to show their commitment to the work of ICAR and its students, the field of conflict analysis and resolution, and the training of the next generation of professionals. These contributions are essential to the success of ICAR and demonstrate a very strong connection between the institute, its students and alumni. Bruce Engelbert and Cynthia Irmer, two such examples, have been a part of the ICAR family for more than a decade.

Bruce, a retired federal employee, worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy for more than 30 years in the areas of environmental management, community involvement, conflict prevention and dispute resolution. Bruce helped establish EPA's first conflict resolution program, which evolved into the EPA Office of Conflict Prevention and Resolution. He is a certified mentor-mediator in the state of Virginia and president of the Northern Virginia Mediation Service. When he graduated from the M.S. program in 1995, Bruce knew that he wanted to maintain a connection to the ICAR community. In 2005, seeing a growing need for ICAR students to attain employment and set career goals, Bruce co-taught a course focused on employment opportunities in the field of conflict resolution with his wife, Cynthia Irmer (a course still taught today).

Cynthia, who received her Ph.D. from ICAR in 2003, is a conflict prevention officer at the State Department. At State, she blends her expertise in the law with theory and practice in conflict prevention, peace building, public participation, and capacity building. Cynthia has also held senior level positions at the international consulting and humanitarian development firm PADCO, the EPA, and Gannett Publishing, and is an adjunct professor at ICAR and George Washington University.

As donors and volunteers, Bruce and Cynthia spend many hours working for the ICAR community through teaching, organizing, volunteering and donating financial resources. "It's really about service and working together and learning together," said Bruce. "We get almost as much out of our work for ICAR as the students do. It is a constant learning environment that continues to stimulate us and our work in the field. ICAR has been a wonderful community to participate and learn from. We strongly feel that we all have something to offer one another."