Spotlight on Alumni

Kait Brine ‘20

Peace and Justice Studies major
Development Coordinator, WE CAN Corporation 

Kait Brine ’20 was an involved undergraduate student. Brine participated in Social Justice Club, Anselmian B.R.E.A.K., Good Grief Group, and was a member of five prestigious honor societies. Passionate about empowering individuals and their communities, the Peace and Justice Studies major dove right into impactful postgraduate work. Through the Saint Joseph Worker Program in Los Angeles, Calif., Brine served as a case manager at Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang intervention, rehab and re-entry program. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of former gang members in East Los Angeles. 

Now back on the east coast, Brine continues to support Homeboy Industries part time while working full time for WE CAN Corporation, a non-profit that supports Cape Cod women through free legal, career, small business, and personal development services. As a Peace and Justice Studies major, Brine gained the ability to advocate for long-term, impactful change that is altering the lives of individuals from all types of backgrounds. 

“I’m incredibly grateful for the foundation that the Peace and Justice curriculum provided,” says Brine. “My education inspired my continued commitment to community involvement and social impact, including my current service on the Civic & Community Engagement Committee through Cape Cod Young Professionals.

Eloise Carlson-McNally ‘23

Peace and Justice Studies and Sociology major 
Enhanced Community Navigator, Catholic Charities 

After Eloise Carlson-McNally ’23 gradated with a degree in Peace and Justice Studies and Sociology, she left New Hampshire and began working in New York as a health communities coordinator for Capital Roots, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing accessible, fresh, and healthy food to communities. 

Today she is dedicated to serving communities in a different way, with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, an organization that helps more than 100,000 people each year in the fourteen counties of the Albany Diocese. Carlson-McNally has seen this opportunity as a huge learning experience, providing aid to people in need at all stages of life regardless of their class, race, religion, ethnicity, or lifestyle.

Megan Dillon ‘19

Peace and Justice Studies and Sociology major 
Master’s in School Social Work and Adjustment Counseling, Assumption University
Clinical Director, Massachusetts Department of Youth Services

After graduating from Saint Anselm, Megan Dillon ’19 spent two years serving with AmeriCorps at a middle school in Dorchester, Mass. The Peace and Justice Studies and Sociology major then attended Assumption University, earning a master’s degree in school social work/adjustment counseling and has implemented her studies by working in schools at all levels. At middle and high school levels, Dillon worked in restorative centers running restorative circles with students that focused on repairing harm. There, she mediated peer to peer issues, student to teacher issues, and whole classroom instances using a restorative approach to school discipline. 

Dillon most recently received licensure from the Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services to become a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC). This liscensure allowed Dillion to transition to clinical director of a Department of Youth Services (DYS) program in central Massachusetts. In this role, Dillon is responsible for clinical programming and therapeutic treatment for youth ages 13-21 who are committed to the state on criminal charges. She encourages the youth she works with to consider the harm they did to their victims and communities, and how they can repair the damage of their poor choices and offenses. Many of the youth Dillon speaks with are in DYS custody for violent crimes, so she runs a group for violent offenders where they use dialectical behavior therapy to help these individuals. This accountability is focused on psycho-education and relapse prevention to support the youth and reduce recidivism.

The peace and justice studies courses that Dillon took at Saint Anselm were instrumental in laying the foundation of her understanding of complex topics, and made her empowered to make an impact on the youth she serves. 

“The courses I took [as a] Peace and Justice Studies major at Saint Anselm were instrumental in laying the foundation of my own understanding of these complex topics and have empowered me to make an impact with the youth I serve.”

Saylor Garcia ‘24

Peace and Justice Studies and Politics major
Academic and Study Abroad Coordinator, Saint Anselm College

Saylor Garcia ’24 was incredibly involved as an undergraduate student at Saint Anselm. The Peace and Justice Studies and Politics major minored in Theology, and spent time volunteering with the Meelia Center for Community Engagment and on Anselmian B.R.E.A.K., and was a member of Student Government Association and the President’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion. After graduating Garcia worked with FrancisCorps, a faith-based service organization, serving as assistant director of a church food pantry in Syracuse, N.Y. Today, Garcia is back on the Hilltop working with Saint Anselm students as an academic and study abroad support coordinator.   

Kyle Hill ‘19

Peace and Justice Studies and Criminal Justice major
Master’s in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University
Member, AmeriCorps

Kyle Hill ‘19 came to Saint Anselm to play football, but left with another deep passion: alternative dispute resolution. Though he’d had a lifelong interest in the criminal justice system, Hill didn’t know the path he wanted to take. Everything changed for Hill after taking Conflict Resolution, which inspired him to double major in Criminal Justice and Peace and Justice Studies. 

Thanks to supportive faculty who cared deeply about his success, Hill participated in an internship with the New Hampshire Judicial Brand Alternative Dispute Program. These opportunities as an undergraduate student at Saint Anselm led Hill to graduate school at George Mason University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a master’s degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resoltuion. Since graduating, Hill has worked at AmeriCorps focusing on prison re-entry mediation. 

"[At Saint Anselm,] I gained plenty of knowledge on the court system and how mediations help resolve many conflicts before they reach the courtroom."

Beck Sigman ‘19

Peace and Justice Studies major
Doctor of Law, American University 
Post-Conviction and Defense Counsel, Zernhelt Law LLC 

As a student, Peace and Justice Studies major Beck Sigman ’19 evaluated the New Hampshire Felony Settlement Conference, a type of alternative dispute resolution used to settle criminal cases. After taking course “Conflict Resolution” and a compelling seminar, Sigman realized they had a true passion for law, dispute resolution, and dialogue facilitiation. An undergraduate internship afforded Sigman the opportunity to interview attorneys, judges, and victim witness advocates across the state, which set them to pursue a doctorate after leaving the Hilltop. Sigman earned a Doctor of Law from American University’s Washington College of Law and now works as a post-conviction and defense counsel for a small criminal defense firm.  They focus on appeals and post conviction cases. They are passionate about ending mass incarceration and upholding civil rights and liberties. In Sigman’s free time, they volunteer with an organization that helps transgender folks find safe haven in accepting areas, sets them up with housing, and works to gind them accessible gender affirming care.

“I learned and grew so much as a Peace and Justice Studies major [at Saint Anselm.] It truly made me a better academic as I've learned to navigate human subject research in an ethical and effective way. ” 

Matthew Soloman ‘19

Peace and Justice Studies and Politics major
Master’s in Global Communications, New York University
Strategic Operations Manager, Rocky Mountain Institute 

For Matthew Soloman ’19, postgraduate life has been far from boring. The Peace and Justice Studies and Politics major left rural Manchester, N.H., for “The Big Apple,” New York City, N.Y., to pursue a master’s degree in global communications at New York University. As he completed graduate school, Soloman worked at several different non-proft organizations. He assisted in the monitoring and evaluation of a global non-profit, Global Cities, Inc., that designs climate-oriented curricula for students across the world to expand their intercultural competency. He worked as a consultant for the International Center for Transactional Justice, an organization whos mission is to prevent the recurrence of repression and violence, and for OutRight Action International, an LGBTIQ+ group motivated to amplify acceptance and end discrimination. At New York University, Soloman developed and designed several courses for undergraduate students at the Gallatin School of Individualized Studies, including “Identity, Community Action, Globalization,” "Community, Intersectionality and Social Justice," and "Social Justice, Human Rights, and Activism."

Today, Soloman streamlines communications for Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the global non-profit that combats climate change by transforming global energy systems.