The Oxford Consortium for Human Rights (OCHR) conducts workshop seminars for students and faculty in collaboration with the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC). The Oxford Consortium currently hosts annual workshops for students and faculty in Oxford (spring and summer) and New York and Sonoma (fall), with additional workshops in development in other locations and with different areas of focus in human rights. Our workshops are student focused, but with a faculty component involving collaborative research (learn more about workshops here).
The Consortium began in 2012, with generous financial support from Steve Raymund, David Stern, and Laura and Bob Sillerman, and the administrative support of Former Dean David Frank of the University of Oregon Clark Honors College and Caroline Massey of Merton College, Oxford. It is co-chaired by Cheyney Ryan and Hugo Slim, both Senior Fellows of ELAC. Dr. Ryan is also Director of Human Rights Programs for ELAC, Dr. Slim is Head of Policy for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. The executive director is Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox of Quinnipiac University. The Consortium's work is enriched by the ongoing participation of our affiliated faculty members, as well as guest presenters who have included human rights practitioners, UN representatives, non-governmental organization leaders, and Oxford University scholars.
The Office of Distinguished Scholarships coordinates the outreach, recruitment, application, and selection of UO students to participate in the workshops and provides funding to support their participation. The OCHR experience is integrated into the pipeline programs for developing distinguished scholarships candidates at the University of Oregon, and there is a strong correlation between OCHR alum and distinguished scholarships endorsees, finalists, and recipients from the University of Oregon. 2024 UO alum and Rhodes Scholar Nayantara Arora became the first UO OCHR Rhodes Scholar and looks forward to strengthening the UO-Oxford network while pursuing her DPhil in Clinical Medicine as a member of St. Edmund Hall at the University of Oxford. She has offered to perform livestream conversations with prospective and current UO distinguished scholarship applicants from the Rhodes House and document her experience through a blog. On October 31, 2024, OCHR alum Charles Petrik was selected as a Rhodes finalist and will interview in Seattle on November 15-16.
Human Rights, Activism and Community Action Workshop
In January of 2025, the University of Oregon and Oxford Consortium of Human Rights supported the following cohort of students to attend the Human Rights, Activism and Community Action Workshop in Sonoma, CA.
Kendall Allgower '26 Political Science
As a Political Science major in the Clark Honors College with minors in Legal Studies and Queer Studies, and as an aspiring civil rights lawyer, Kendall is committed to understanding the structures of power and law that sustain or refuse justice. More than anything, her education has crystallized this belief: real equality can only come from systemic change. Human rights activism is where the personal and political intersect for Kendall, and it's the place she feels most called to act. She organized events with local shelters, handing out hygiene kits, blankets, and informational pamphlets on local legal services and job opportunities available; she completed over 700 hours of community service as an online active listener with 7 Cups, a free, anonymous online therapy platform supporting people going through problems including discrimination, mental health issues, questions of identity, and more. Kendall also volunteered to help run workshops on tenant and worker rights for vulnerable populations of immigrants and low-wage workers.
Violet Ashley '27 Journalism
Violet is a Journalism student with minors in Global Service and Philosophy. She directed “Justice Week” at her high school, worked with Blanchet House as a Student Ambassador leading service projects for the local homeless community, volunteered at the nighttime hospitality nonprofit Operation Nightwatch to alleviate the isolation experienced by those living on the streets, interned at the affordable housing nonprofit Sabin Community Development Corporation dedicated to returning historically displaced Black Portlanders to their northeast neighborhoods, and served as a UO Students for Justice in Palestine organizer.
Vaani Bindal '26 Neuroscience
Vaani Bindal is a junior currently studying Neuroscience with a Global Health minor in the Honors College. She has worked with the campus community as a Students for Global Health Co-President and nationally advocated for legislation through Partners in Health Engage. She has had the opportunity to work with schools and NGOs internationally to address health disparities as the co-founder of the AkashVaani Foundation. Along with these experiences, she has gained insights on the process of providing accessible healthcare through the Volunteers in Medicine free clinic. Vaani’s experiences in the clinical and global health fields have deepened her passion for human rights and provided guidance on her path to becoming a healthcare professional.
Margaret Grace '27 Global Studies | History
Margaret Grace is a sophomore at the University of Oregon, studying Global Studies and History. She is passionate about immigration reform and global health. Margaret hopes to attend law school after receiving her undergraduate degree and eventually work in international human rights law or immigration law. On campus, Margaret competes with UO Mock Trial and is a Wayne Morse Scholar. Margaret also currently works at a local law firm as an office assistant. This summer, she will be volunteering at Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Mexico.
Aishiki Nag '26 Political Science
Aishiki is a sophomore studying Political Science and Global Studies with a concentration in Diplomacy, Peace, and Conflict Studies and a minor in legal studies. Last summer, Aishiki worked as a campaign financial intern for Andrea Salinas and is currently working as an intern for the Prison Education Program, focusing on advocating for legislation that benefits underserved community members. Aishiki is also currently involved as an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She plans on using this experience to work further with international humanitarian and immigration law to create ethical conditions for migrations.
Vivian Reynoldson '27 Economics | Global Studies
Vivian Reynoldson (she/her) is a sophomore at the University of Oregon. She is pursuing a double major in Global Studies and Economics, with a concentration in Diplomacy, Peace, and Conflict Studies. She hopes to attend graduate school for international relations and aims for a career in conflict resolution abroad. Vivian's work in human rights started in high school with her Civics Education Passion Project, where she worked with the Oregon Department of Education on re-evaluating the civics standards. She currently works for the Peace Corps on-campus and intends to start her career by serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer after graduation.
New Technology and Human Rights Workshop
In July of 2024, the University of Oregon and Oxford Consortium of Human Rights supported the following cohort of students to attend the New Technology and Human Rights Workshop at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.
Bella Albiani '26 Multidisciplinary Science
Bella Albiani is studying Multidisciplinary Science with minors in Global Health and Service, Biology, Anthropology and Chemistry in the Clark Honors College. She became passionate about resource insecurity while volunteering with her local food bank during the COVID pandemic. In college, she has engaged with vulnerable communities through the UO’s prison education program, research with people experiencing homelessness and continued volunteering at food pantries and a free medical clinic. These experiences have empowered her to develop a stronger understanding of human rights frameworks in order to channel career path into shaping research and policy addressing social determinants of health.
Jessica Brannan '26 Economics | Public Planning & Policy Management
Jessica Brannan studies Economics and Public Management in hopes of pursuing a career in economic development. She is interested in exploring the globalization of economies and its effect on small communities, specifically the exploitation of laborers in developing economies. Learning more about human rights will be integral to her understanding of these issues. Outside of academics, she works for the University of Oregon Basic Needs Program and the Holden Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, where she equips students with the physical resources and skills they need to succeed in education and life.
Sameeha Chowdhury '26 Psychology
Sameeha is pursuing her B.S. in Psychology with minors in Legal Studies and Business Administration at the University of Oregon. A Muslim Bangladeshi American from Portland, she is passionate about addressing systemic issues like implicit racial bias and improving decision-making in the justice system. She has worked with Distressed Children & Infants International to combat child labor and expand access to education globally. At the C2 Diversity and Social Cognition Lab, she supports research on bias, categorization, and racial attitudes. By combining insights from psychology and law, she aims to help create a legal system that understands and serves diverse communities.
Andrew Gorecki '26 Architecture
Andrew is studying Architecture with a minor in Sociology and Historic Preservation at the University of Oregon. During the previous winter and summer breaks, Andrew has been interning at Scott Edwards Architecture, primarily working on sustainability initiatives and public projects. He hopes to continue this work by incorporating biophilic design within community-oriented projects. Through his involvement with the Carnegie Global Oregon Ethics Program, Andrew hopes to incorporate human rights through an architectural and advocacy lens. It's his mission to create an environment where our shared architecture and physical environment promote art, accountability, and human rights.
Tara Sarbacker '26 Architecture
Tara is studying Architecture with a minor in Mathematics at the University of Oregon Clark Honors College. As an aspiring architect, she's curious how inequity stems from the structures that define our societies. Her passion for food security prompted her to organize an Empty Bowls fundraiser and grow produce for the Linn-Benton Food Share in her hometown. Through participation in the Carnegie Global Oregon Ethics Program and Prison Education Program, she has expanded her design education to include important perspectives on human flourishing. Her goal is to help address social disparities that are caused by the built environment.
Prior Participants
Sonoma Workshop 2024
- Yash Akhouri '23 Architecture & '25 MS Architecture
- Jivan Khalsa '25 General Social Science
- Mac McCarty '25 Planning, Public Policy and Management
July Workshop 2024
- Sophia Barghouti '27 Political Science, Middle Eastern and North African Studies
- Bryonie McMahon '27 Political Science, Educational Foundations
- Colleen Uzoekwe '24 Human Physiology
- Ruby Wool '25 Journalism
- Miriam Yousaf '24 Global Studies
Week of January 16th:
Human Rights, Activism and Community Action
(Sonoma, CA)
Deadline:
Sunday, December 1, 2024 5:00 pm PST
Week of March 24th:
Human Rights in War and the Climate Crisis
(Oxford, England)
Deadline:
Sunday, January 12, 2025 5:00 pm PST
Week of July 7th:
Human Rights and New Technology
(Oxford, England)
Deadline:
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 5:00 pm PST
For more information, contact David Frank
or the Office of Distinguished Scholarships.
2025 Sonoma Workshop University of Oregon Contingent
2023 University of Oregon OCHR Contingent
2019 University of Oregon OCHR Contingent
2018 University of Oregon OCHR Contingent
