A Brevard College senior and two recent graduates have published their scholarly work in the international publication Release Peace: The Magazine.
Tristan Troutman ’26, Alfredo Sixtos-Rodriguez ’25, and Dominic O’Brien ’25 each authored articles that now appear before an international audience.
All three students discovered the opportunity after attending history courses taught by Dr. Jordan Kuck, associate professor of history and chair of the humanities division.
“These three students represent the best of Brevard College and a liberal arts education,” said Kuck. “It is rare for an undergraduate student to publish, and it is even more rare for non-history majors to publish historical works on weighty topics. And yet, two of the three students are not history majors. Through their experiences in a general education history course, these students developed the skills and interests that led to these publications. To be sure, this is experiential education at its best.”
Troutman, an environmental studies major with pre-law and history minors from Aiken, South Carolina, will graduate this spring. He plans to attend law school at the University of South Carolina.
Troutman authored “The Dark History of Rubber in the Congo,” which examines how the global demand for rubber in the late 19th century fueled the brutal exploitation of the Congo Free State under King Leopold II. In his analysis, he traces the economic forces, human rights abuses, and international response that reshaped the region’s history.
A biology major with a history minor, Sixtos-Rodriguez graduated from BC this past December and will receive his diploma at spring commencement. A native of Elkin, North Carolina, Sixtos-Rodriguez is preparing for the MCAT with plans to attend medical school.
In “How the Forgotten Importation of US Tractors by the USSR Revitalised the Soviet Economy,” Sixtos-Rodriguez examines a little-known period of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union. He highlights how American industry, particularly the Ford Motor Company, played a pivotal role in modernizing Soviet agriculture during the early years of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans.
O’Brien graduated in May of 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a criminal justice minor from Brevard College. A native of Huntersville, North Carolina, he is currently working in the Brevard area while pursuing law school.
O’Brien’s article, “A History You Might Now Know: The Motivations of Woodrow Wilson,” explores the life and legacy of President Woodrow Wilson. He examines how Wilson’s upbringing, religious convictions and moral worldview shaped his leadership during World War I and his push to move the United States from isolationism to global leadership.
Release Peace is an international peace and conflict-prevention NGO based in The Hague that works with communities, NGOs and global institutions to reduce armed violence and foster stability. Alongside its advocacy work, the organization publishes Release Peace: The Magazine, an online international affairs journal that offers in-depth analysis and context on global issues and underreported stories beyond the daily news cycle. The magazine regularly features contributions from students and emerging writers, providing a platform for thoughtful historical, geopolitical and cultural perspectives.