The Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies
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The Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies award honors a distinguished advocate for peace, noted humanitarian, or faith leader who is asked to serve in limited residency at the University of Massachusetts Lowell during one semester each year.
John Prendergast: Working for Peace in Africa
KONY 2012
KONY 2012: Part II - Beyond Famous
The 2012 Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies is John Prendergast, a human rights activist and best-selling author who has worked for peace in Africa for over 25 
years. He is the co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity affiliated with the Center for American Progress.
Most recently, John has been seen by nearly a million viewers in the video Kony 2012, by the organization Invisible Children. Working in partnership with John, Invisible Children have used the power of social media to spark social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony's rebel war and restore LRA-effected communities in central Africa to peace and prosperity. John Prendergast can also be seen in a spot on AOL called "You've Got", in a great two-minute bio. Most recently, you can see the work John Prendergast does with his colleague George Clooney.
John has worked for the Clinton White House, the State Department, two members of Congress, the National Intelligence Council, UNICEF, Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group, and the U.S. Institute of Peace. He has been a Big Brother for over 25 years, as well as a youth counselor and basketball coach. He is the author or co-author of ten books including “Unlikely Brothers,” a dual memoir co-authored with his first little brother in the Big Brother program.
His previous two books were co-authored with noted actor Don Cheadle: “Not On Our Watch,” a New York Times bestseller and NAACP non-fiction book of the year, and “The Enough Moment: Fighting to End Africa’s Worst Human Rights Crimes.”
John has appeared in four episodes of "60 Minutes," and helped create African characters and stories for two episodes of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," one focusing on the recruitment of child soldiers and the other on rape as a war strategy. He has been profiled in The New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and other publications. The Huffington Post recently named John one of its Game Changers during the last year.
He has been a visiting professor at Yale Law School, Temple University, Stanford University and others, and has received six honorary doctorates. John is a board member and serves as Strategic Advisor to Not On Our Watch, the organization founded by George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Brad Pitt.
Below are links to videos where you can see John Prendergast:
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Kony 2012 (video release March 5, 2012)
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George Clooney Witnesses War Crimes in Sudan's Nuba Mountains
(video release March 13, 2012)
(Warning: This video contains content that some viewers may find disturbing) -
Meet the Press (with George Clooney)
video release March 18, 2012)
(multiple video links on right-hand navigation) -
TIME Article written by John Prendergast,
(co-authored with George Clooney)
For information about PACSI, please contact Prof. Robert Gamache, and for information about the Greeley Scholar activities please contact Paul Marion, executive director of community and cultural affairs by e-mail or phone: 978-934-3107.