Two Luther students chosen as Peace Scholars

Two Luther College juniors, Bakhita Goncalves Soares and William Jeide, have been selected as Peace Scholars for the 2016-17 academic year.

Goncalves Soares and Jeide will spend seven weeks this summer studying peace and conflict resolution in Lillehammer and Oslo, Norway.

Luther is one of six colleges founded by Norwegian-American immigrants in the 19th century that sponsor the annual summer Peace Scholars program in Norway. The program is designed to deepen students' understanding of the central issues and theories regarding conflict, war and peace. Goncalves Soares and Jeide will join students from Augsburg College, Augustana University (Sioux Falls), Concordia College (Moorhead), Pacific Lutheran University and St. Olaf College this summer.

Bakhita Goncalves Soares is a 2014 graduate of United World Colleges Red Cross Nordic in Flekke, Norway.  She is an environmental studies and economics double major at Luther.

Jeide is a 2014 graduate of Wayzata High School in the Twin Cities.  He is majoring in environmental studies with a concentration in environmental economics and sustainable development. He hopes to implement his studies in conflict resolution in his future career.