We are excited to introduce the selected Smaby Peace Scholars for the 2025-2026 academic school year. Through a vigorous application and interview process, Bella Wizik and Ruben Rodriguez-Basilio have shown that they are the strongest candidates to this program, and we are proud to know they will be representing Augsburg University while in Norway.
Alongside other Peace Scholars from our Lutheran sister sites (Concordia College, Luther College, Pacific Lutheran College and St. Olaf College), these two students will participate in the annual summer Peace Scholars program in Norway, designed to deepen students’ understanding of the central issues and theories regarding conflict, war and peace. We want to thank Gary Smaby (The Smaby Family Foundation) for his generous financial support.
Bella Wizik is a rising senior at Augsburg University, from Duluth, Minnesota, majoring in Communications and Film. With over two years of experience in Augsburg’s Residence Life, Bella currently serves as a Community Development Assistant, where she thrives in fostering connections and enhancing student life. She’s also actively involved with Augsburg Campus Ministries, where her passion for building relationships and creating a supportive community flourishes.
Bella’s semester abroad in Mexico sparked her growing interest in cultural diversity and social inequality, inspiring her to explore these issues further worldwide. Deeply committed to advocating for justice and empowering marginalized communities, she is eager to expand her knowledge and contribute to meaningful change through the Peace Scholars Seminar.
Ruben is an International Business and Management major with a minor in Management Information Systems. He is from Spain with a Latin American background (his mother is from Brazil). Ruben is currently preparing for a conference in New York for the Model UN course, representing Finland. This experience will provide him with some knowledge of the Nordic countries, and he is excited to learn more about Norway during the Smaby Peace Scholar experience.