Humanitarian Studies Undergraduate Spotlight: Benjamin Spicer
April 19, New York — As a kid growing up in Tennessee, Benjamin Spicer was always exposed to the racial injustice prevalent in the U.S. “Each morning on my way to school, I passed a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan,” he explained. “We were taught that slavery was evil and racism was bad; however, there were clear contradictions between what we were taught in school and the actual actions of the state.” The unease of this discrepancy pushed Ben to join the Nashville chapter of Showing up for Racial Justice. Here, Ben discovered his passion for humanitarian work: “I [realized] I wanted to be a force of good in the world.”
Ben is now a sophomore at Fordham University, majoring in Humanitarian studies. Accepted initially to Fordham as part of the 3–2 engineering program, he soon switched to Environmental Sciences. But, “after a semester of science classes and two weeks where I wanted to be a music major,” Ben opted for Environmental Studies instead. He thought this was the major for him.
That all changed when Ben attended a series of webinars with the IIHA during the spring of 2020. A webinar event particularly inspired him with Amali Tower, founder of Climate Refugees and Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance alumna. After that, he knew he wanted to pursue a degree in Humanitarian Studies.
Although this is only Ben’s first semester in the program, he is looking forward to expanding his knowledge on the Middle East, specifically the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One of his favorite classes this semester is Refugee and Asylum Law with James Stillwaggon. Ben said the real-life experiences brought into the classroom by Stillwaggon, who has extensive experience representing asylum seekers and immigrants, make the class so valuable and insightful.
Ben’s passion for justice doesn’t stop with humanitarianism; he is also enthusiastic about sustainability. He is part of the Social Innovation Collaboratory’s Climate Impact Team, which works on various sustainability projects on Fordham’s campus, including selling reusable utensils and bringing composting to campus. Ben runs their Instagram account, raising awareness about current environmental issues, both on and off-campus. He described the experience as “incredible” and said, “It’s a wonderful way to be able to incorporate my interest in the environment and sustainability into my extracurricular life.”
Ben has also worked as an intern for Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA), proving that his humanitarian focus transcends global issues. CASA is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and safety of tenants in the South Bronx. Ben visited apartment buildings in the South Bronx to hand out informational flyers about tenant rights and see for himself the issues he was advocating for. The unique opportunity to talk directly with residents “further instilled the desire to help people fight for their rights.”
Although Ben isn’t yet sure what type of career he wants to pursue with this degree, he knows that he wants to work with refugees and advocate against human rights violations. For now, he looks forward to continuing his studies. He said being surrounded by students with so much passion for the same topics as him is encouraging.
“When I read and hear about conflicts across the globe and [about] refugees fleeing their homes, it can feel daunting, like I’m up against some unstoppable forces,” he said. “Having other humanitarian students [around keeps] me hopeful for the future because I’m not going at it alone. I have all of these great people here to help.”
Written by Allison Lecce, IIHA Marketing and Communications Intern
About the IIHA
The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) prepares current and future aid workers with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in times of humanitarian crisis and disaster. Our courses are borne of an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines academic theory with the practical experience of seasoned humanitarian professionals. The IIHA also publishes on a wide range of humanitarian topics and regularly hosts a number of events in the New York area, including the annual Humanitarian Design for Humanity Summit.
For more information or media inquiries, please contact: Camille Giacovas, Communications & Research Officer, cgiacovas@fordham.edu
