Concordia’s 2023 Smaby Peace Scholars, juniors Anna Kronbeck from Hawley, Minn., and Kailey Thomas from Puyallup, Wash., reflect on their experience as scholars and their time at the International Summer School at the University of Oslo.
“I was wearing my grandma’s Norway sweatshirt when I got the call from the school president that I had been chosen as a peace scholar,” said Kronbeck. “My grandma had been to Norway multiple times throughout her life, and I grew up looking at pictures in the family photo album of her trips.”
Kronbeck had decided to apply for the Peace Scholar program because of the fondness that many people in the Midwest have when talking about Norway and also to supplement her education as someone studying political science and global studies.
“In those academic fields, we discuss war and conflict often, but we rarely stop to discuss peace and the efforts being put toward it,” she added.
“My time in Norway was extremely influential, and will continue to be, in terms of how I view the world around me,” Kronbeck said. “Not only did studying through an international program expose me to the viewpoints of classmates from over 20 different countries, but simply the courses I took were enough to shape my existing beliefs and understanding of what life can look like, what it has the potential to be. It opened my eyes to a different way of life, gave me the chance to explore it and serves to remind me of the things I may take for granted at home.”
She said they had a great mix of classwork and meeting new people, exploring new places, and absorbing new experiences. One of her favorite memories is from hiking the Saboteur’s Trail in the Telemark region – hiking down a very steep trail (even rappelling at some points) in a valley, trekking across a river, and hiking up the other side of the valley.
“No one in the group was prepared for such a strenuous hike, which made it even more of a bonding experience,” she added. “We worked with people we had never met to help each other through challenging points of the trail, and by the time we finished the hike, it was like we had known each other for years.”
“Coming out of the program, I am very excited to contribute my new knowledge of peace and dialogue in multiple avenues on campus, including in my classes, in the student organizations I’m involved in, and simply in the interactions I have,” Kronbeck said.
Kailey Thomas said she would group the overall Peace Scholars experience into several phases – the first being preparation. After the selection process, she and Kronbeck attended a conference at the Norway House in Minneapolis. It’s also where they’ll present their individual research findings in the upcoming year.
“Norway House was also where we met the incredible people that help make this program possible, and the people you will share some of the best experiences of your life with,” Thomas added.
The second phase was in June when they headed to Europe for “the adventure of a lifetime.”
Thomas said upon arrival in Norway, she and Kronbeck completed a pre-week with the other Peace Scholars led by the Peace Seminar professor. In the mornings they met for dialogue sessions and training. The afternoons consisted of excursions around Oslo. Some of the places they went include the National Museum and Eckebergskrenten Sculpture Park. At the end of the week, they hiked to a cabin in Nordmarka where they stayed for two nights.
“By the end of this week, little did I know I had begun building lifelong friendships,” Thomas said.
After that, they began their six, weeklong classes at the International Summer School, with 500 students from 75 different countries.
“I had two classes a day: Norwegian Welfare State and Peace Seminar,” Thomas said. “We would listen to a lecture and ask questions surrounding different categories and once a week, we participated in a seminar surrounding the week’s topic. On other days, we may have had guest lectures or visits to organizations around Oslo, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Islamic Cultural Center, the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, and so much more.”
Thomas added that she felt another phase happened when she returned home and reflected on the experience.
“Every day, I find myself applying my experiences and class lessons to my studies at Concordia and in my everyday life. This is where I realized just how powerful my experiences were this summer, and just how much I have grown.”
The last phase will include sharing the experience and presenting research projects at the conference next year.
“I am filled with nothing but gratitude while reminiscing on the memories of joy, and growth during my time as a Peace Scholar,” she said. “I have returned to school with a new outlook on life and new perspectives on challenges locally and globally. It is easy to get caught up in the turmoil of life around us, but understanding both peace and conflict at their roots, I can’t help but feel hope for this world.”
She also indicated that prior to this summer, she didn’t comprehend the power of dialogue, but ended up developing a fascination with the power and importance of dialogue.
“Being in Oslo helped me meet people from around this world, from many different backgrounds, something I see as priceless,” she said. “The relationships formed this summer will forever be one of my favorite parts of this program.”
Favorite adventures include the cabin retreat in Nordmarka, challenging hikes, watching the bustling city life of Oslo, indulging in amazing food, and experiencing Norwegian culture in the woods.
“We learned of this idea referred to as friluftsliv. It is a belief that Norwegians live by and stresses the importance of experiencing the outdoors because of its benefits to every aspect of our health,” she added. “I left knowing I need to find ways to incorporate friluftsliv daily even when I return home, it really is powerful.”
“I will continue to be eternally grateful for my opportunities as a Peace Scholar. My biggest recommendation to other Cobbers is to apply to any opportunity that interests you. I believed that this was a long shot, but my mentality was that I had nothing to lose by applying.”
