Dear IIRP Community,
With more than 1,000 graduate schools in the United States, it was an audacious claim that one more was necessary. But our founding president, trustees, faculty, and staff saw a need in the 21st century for an institution wholly dedicated to the study of restorative practices. Through the work of many ardent supporters, the International Institute for Restorative Practices was established as that graduate school. I believe it is due to their vision that we are exactly where we need to be. With such tumultuous, pained, and divisive experiences occurring around the globe, our world needs inclusive leadership capable of supporting more compassionate and caring communities.
As an IIRP alum myself, I am awed by our students' dedication to fit graduate education into a life that is already full. Our learners balance family, work, and community as they study resilience and relationships, feeding their curiosity and advancing their roles as compassionate and strategic leaders and thinkers. They do not shy away from engaging deeply. It is this commitment to learning and growing that makes me feel hopeful for our future.
I am humbled and honored to be named as the IIRP’s third president and pledge to kindle the gift of curiosity, personally and for our learning community. We must remain open, questioning what is possible and how we can achieve it. At the IIRP, we invite our faculty, instructors, staff, and learners to reconsider everything: from what we teach, to how we learn, and how all that can echo throughout the world.
The success of the IIRP has never been a singular effort. It is the drive and grace shared among our students, faculty, alumni, staff, and trustees that have helped us to thrive throughout our young history. We are in this together, continually learning, growing, and challenging each other to create a unique and impactful graduate school experience. And we cordially invite you to join us in pursuing our mission of strengthening relationships, supporting communities, influencing social change, and broadening the field of restorative practices.
Linda J. Kligman, Ph.D.
President
