Peacebuilding Scholarship Fund Established to Honor Eliot 'Bang' Williams

We continue to mourn the loss of our dear friend, Eliot “Bang” Williams, a former Trustee and Ambassador who passed away in 2022. So we are very happy to share that Bang’s wife, Sue, along with other family members and friends, have established an endowed fund to keep his legacy alive in perpetuity - The Eliot "Bang" Williams Peacebuilding Scholarship Fund. The goal of the fund is to support one peacebuilding student annually by providing tuition, travel, housing, and living expenses.

A true servant leader, Bang devoted his life to many causes, including his service to HIU. Inspired by his experiences abroad in South Africa, Haiti, India and elsewhere, Bang developed a deep appreciation of other cultures, traditions, and faiths. This appreciation also led him to serve on the board of the Plowshares Institute, an organization that worked as an agent for change around the world for over 30 years and helped to provide the foundation for HIU’s Master of Arts in International Peacebuilding (MAP).

MAP is a one-year, residential, 36-credit, master’s degree program where students develop interreligious literacy and acquire constructive conflict intervention skills through a combination of service-learning, traditional courses, experiential courses, and project-based learning. Students live in interfaith housing on campus.

Our friend Bang had a vision for a world with more peace and understanding, a vision which he shared with everyone he encountered. To honor Bang and his lifelong commitment to peace, consider making a gift to support The Eliot "Bang" Williams Peacebuilding Scholarship Fund. Know that Sue Williams and their two daughters are thrilled about this effort, because it validates so many things Bang cared deeply about and will keep his legacy alive.

Donations can be mailed to Hartford International “Attention Development Office” at 77 Sherman Street, Hartford, CT 06105 or with this link: Donate Now