Dawn Dittmann says she had the privilege of meeting some incredible fellow learners while she was at RRU earning her MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding. Many, in fact, are now close friends. There was one person, though, to whom she really connected. Her name was Shirley Case and she invites readers to help keep the memory of her alive.

by Dawn Dittmann 

Eternally optimistic, Shirley cycles through the fog in Myanmar after completing a tsunami reconstruction project in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. ____________

Shirley was young and ambitious, but more importantly truly genuine with an ability to see the beauty in anything.

We became friends instantly.

After graduation Shirley went on to work in Chad, Indonesia and Afghanistan helping to integrate children with disabilities into the school system. Her worked echoed her own passion for lifelong learning as well as her passion for creating community.

In a letter written in June 2008 to friends and family, Shirley spoke about building community in Afghanistan:

“Being here in Afghanistan definitely speaks to the complexity of humanitarianism, politics, security, civil war, religious ideology...and also speaks to community. Community in the sense that everyone has their community, communities of all

Photo by Claire Holeton A butterfly perches in front of the Nixon building where a tree and a bench commemorate Shirley's spirit and determination. ____________

varieties...your colleagues become your community...either people that you have met along the way...or new people that come into your life...and then your work goes to support other communities”.

Shirley’s tragic passing took her too soon and has affected a wide community of family, friends, colleagues, RRU staff and alumni.

I believe that by supporting RRU students through the Shirley Case Memorial Scholarship we can continue to build community and continue Shirley’s work in spirit. This scholarship will provide financial support to one learner in the MA Human Security and Peacebuilding program.

Preference will be given to a learner involved in humanitarian work that contributes to the empowerment of women and/or children – two of Shirley’s passions.

If you knew Shirley or her words now resonate and you would like to help make the Shirley Case Memorial Award a reality, please visit the Legacy Campaign website to learn how to donate.