By Joanne Ward-Jerrett

A passion for human dignity. An unquenchable thirst for knowledge. A commitment to end global suffering and injustice—such were the forces that drove Canadian foreign diplomat Glyn R. Berry (PhD’81) to do the extraordinary work that he did to improve conditions for ordinary people in desperate circumstances. Tragically, he died in the midst of his humanitarian work—killed in a terrorist attack in Kandahar in 2006, while serving as the political director for the provincial reconstruction team with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT).

But today, the Glyn Berry legacy lives on in a scholarship established in his memory at Dalhousie University. A partnership between Dalhousie and DFAIT, the Glyn R. Berry Memorial Scholarship in International Policy Studies supports the work of outstanding doctoral students, who are committed to furthering the work of Glyn Berry through meaningful scholarship in the areas of international affairs, defense and global security policy. Now fully endowed, the scholarship—which is valued at $11,000 per year for up to four years—is supported by an engaged group of political, academic and humanitarian donors who are committed to continuing Berry’s legacy.

A gift that keeps on giving

To date, two candidates have been awarded full scholarship funding. David Morgan (BA’09), the inaugural Glyn R. Berry Scholar in Political Science, is focusing his doctoral research on international and local understandings of civilian protection. Ben O’Bright, the recipient of the scholarship for 2013-2014, is studying under Dr. David Black in the area of human security. O’Bright seeks to better understand complex notions of human security in order to better ascertain threats and propose remedies.

“The Glyn R. Berry Scholarship is a tremendous testament to the power of research to effect meaningful change through improved social policy,” said Robert Summerby-Murray, Dalhousie’s dean of arts and social sciences, at a recent donor event. “This is a gift that will keep on giving, as it continues to provide funds to attract top PhD students in international policy and security studies.”