Point of View Opening Event
This fall, Joan and Gene Smith, life-long friends of the Lynch family and chairs of the Point of View Campaign, hosted the opening event at Point of View for friends and colleagues. Under a white tent and with a view of a glorious sunset over Belmont Bay, the Point of View (POV) Master Plan and future vision for the site were unveiled to a group of more than 50 potential supporters.
Bill Lynch led the evening with a thoughtful tribute to his late parents, Ed and Helen, who donated their 40-acre estate to ICAR to build a research and retreat center for conflict analysis and resolution. Gene Smith highlighted the wonderful contribution of the Lynch family and his personal commitment to helping make this project a reality. Jeff Bushman and Pete O'Shea, the architects working on POV, walked the group through the conceptual design of the new facility after which ICAR Director Sara Cobb gave an inspirational vision of ICAR and POV.
George Mason University President Alan Merten concluded the evening with a full endorsement of POV and its mission. "Ed and Helen Lynch could see the potential for Point of View to be a place for transformative conversations, a place for dialogue, reflection and reconciliation, a place where people representing constituent groups and even nations trapped in hatred and fear could come, learn and develop new relationships with others," said Dr. Cobb." They trusted the ICAR faculty, alums and students to contribute their expertise in the hard work of building peace.
"ICAR Ph.D. students Min Oo, Silvia Susnjic, and VandyKanyako were awarded the first POV Housing Fellowships for doctoral students. Min and Silvia moved to POV at the beginning of the semester to work on their dissertations. Vandy will move in early next month. "This is my dream place to write my dissertation," said Min. "I used to imagine living in a place where I can write, while enjoying nature. My dream comes true at Point of View." Silvia added that the "idyllic landscape of Point of View bestows upon me a sense of tranquility which enables me to direct my intellectual capacity in creating a personally meaningful and academically rigorous dissertation project. I feel honored and privileged to have the opportunity to live in such a beautiful environment and re-harmonize myself with nature.
"A few weeks after the Master Plan unveiling, ICAR students enjoyed their first event at POV with a recreational bonfire on October 13th.