In these turbulent times, many people want to help make the world a more peaceful place. For Nicholas Weiland ’09, it’s all in a day’s work.
Weiland is a program specialist at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, D.C. USIP works to prevent and resolve armed conflict around the world by engaging directly in conflict zones and providing analysis, education and resources to those working for peace. Weiland, at USIP since 2014, is in the Advising Support Program, which “trains U.S. advisors in skills like negotiation, conflict analysis and communication before they deploy abroad,” he says.
“I’m the program coordinator of sorts,” says Weiland. “I’ve done a little bit of everything, which makes this job interesting.”
A self-described lifelong learner, Weiland earned a major in philosophy with a minor in political science at Linfield, then explored his interest in international relations by teaching English in China for a year. In 2012, he moved to Washington, D.C., with his wife, Meagan, to attend the School of International Service at American University. He earned a master’s in U.S. foreign policy.
“Linfield prepared me in a number of ways,” he recalls. “The community that I found there and the mentorship of my professors allowed me to gain confidence in myself and foster my own intellectual curiosity. I look back and think of it as a very formative experience.”
– Christian Feuerstein
