ASHLAND, Ohio – The Ashland Center for Nonviolence at Ashland University recently marked its 20th anniversary, and now thanks to the generosity of Bob and Jan Archer, the center’s long-term future has been secured. The Archers have donated $1 million to establish the Janet L. Archer Ashland Center for Nonviolence Endowed Fund.
Jan Archer has been a supporter of ACN since its inception and is delighted to establish this fund, which will support the center’s director.
“My involvement with the Nonviolence Center goes back to its beginning. Before the country went to war in Iraq, I joined several citizens from both the university and the community in peaceful protests. When war was declared, our group asked ‘what can we do?’” she explained. “The answer was to start ACN. I am pleased at how the program has grown and that we just celebrated our 20th anniversary. We hope that our gift can help continue the program far into the future because we need to learn alternatives to violence (in) our society.”
ACN seeks a world in which human conflict at all levels can be resolved without resorting to violence and in which social justice can be realized. The center promotes alternatives to violence and supports efforts to create a more just, inclusive and caring community.
Among the ways it looks to achieve those goals are by building the next generation of peacemakers through various trainings, by providing thoughtful, critical analyses of local, national and international issues, by reaching out to a broad range of people about issues of social concern and by disseminating information about upcoming events and opportunities for furthering peace and justice. ACN also offers a Peace Scholars program for AU students.
One example is the upcoming “Science of Peace” conference taking place Feb. 21-22.
Craig Hovey, Ph.D., the current director of ACN and a professor of religion, expressed gratitude for the Archers’ support.
“Thanks to the Archers, there’s going to be meaningful and consistent leadership for ACN into the future. That’s really the whole idea,” Hovey said. “The faculty member directing ACN, in perpetuity, will be able to devote more time and energy to promoting peace.”
Hovey expects to develop more influential conferences and events, increase grant writing and expand programming for AU students and the community.
“The fund will allow us to do more and bigger things. That’s the reality,” he said.
To learn more about Ashland Center for Nonviolence, visit ashland.edu/ashland-center-nonviolence.
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of
strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.