MODEL UN PRESENTATION

A short video of the presentation the Model UN Delegation made to the CC community on December 4th. Later in the week I will post some photos, and of course the last of the photos of Chicago, plus some words to those who would like to be part of the Model UN in 2009.

Leadership in the Windy City!

Columbia College offered me the chance of a life time and I took it with open arms. She allowed me to represent her in Chicago, Illinois at the Model UN conference. I took this opportunity and embraced it. I felt a lot off pressure being from one of the only woman colleges and the only college from South Carolina at the conference. I always joke about the 4 C's.... Needless to say the 4C's saved me at this conference! There were hundreds of students from all across the US, many from prestigious and Ivy League schools. At first I was a little intimidated, nervous, and lost for words. However I know those feelings did not reflect my personality, Columbia College or me as a Columbia College woman who has been taught/drilled the 4C's of leadership. So i took my courage, commitment, confidence and competence and applied it to every caucus and session. I realized that I had been given an opportunity of a life time and that there was no need to take advantage of it but rather embrace this experience! This conference allowed me to become more aware of national politics. Not only has this trip allowed me to practice the 4C's of leadership but has also strengthened my 4C's of leadership! I am now even more empowered about being a woman of the 4C's of leadership here at Columbia College. It's not often that I am at a lost for words but this experience is one that can't be explained but only experienced.

Kara Simmons

The last blog!

Well after writing a reflection essay for Dr. Jones ive realized I actually did learn a few things that I didnt in my poli sci classes. There are a few things I want to do more research that I stumbled upon at the Model UN as well, which truthfully I didnt think would happen, for some odd reason. I really did enjoy the experience and I was lucky to find out about countries that I didnt know existed and interact with other students who love poltics just as much as I do. If I had another year at school I would probably try to go to Chicago again. I think the most awesome aspect out of all of this is that the poli sci department did not just pick people who are majoring in public affairs, political science, or history, but they decided to let all students apply. I say this because I was able to work with Melanie, my partner, who is a biology major and I was able to learn from her and how she looked at the issues differently than how I would. It was great working with someone who thought out of the box. It was awesome, thats all what I have to say.

Looking Back....

With all the excitement of sharing my Model UN stories with friends and turning in my final assignments for professors, I almost forgot to post my experience on this blog! So here goes:

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome! I had such a wonderful experience and I'm glad I had the opportunity to participate in this year's conference (Thank you, Dr. Jones!). Being able to discuss tough issues like humanitarian aid and economic policies with students from all over the world was great. Not only did I get to practice my negotiation skills, I also learned the true meaning of diplomacy.

Participating in the Model UN encouraged me to learn more about international relations, engage in problem solving with other countries, and exercise my communication skills. This experience has also taught me the importance of seeing situations from other points of view. It was interesting to see how every country saw the same situation, but crafted different solutions and offered different perspectives. For example, our entire body agreed that it was essential to address the economic inequalities women faced when entering the job market, but we all had different ways to approach it. When everyone negotiated and debated, we were able to work together in solving this imperative issue (if only Congress could work this well together).

When we were talking about our experiences, Laniesha Gray made a really good point about our experiences: It's one thing to learn about the four C's, but it's another to actually practice them. I can honestly say, that's what we all did at this conference. I was so proud of everyone stepping up to the plate and representing Columbia College to their fullest potential. We acted as agents of change to work towards a world of peace and prosperity (as cliche as that sounds). I felt a sense of personal responsibility to do what's best for not only the country of Italy, but also for the world...(okay, that's my last cliche).

I think Dr. Whitson said it best: "A leader is not a leader because of the position she holds, but the difference she makes." After judging from the resolutions we tirelessly worked to pass through, I can honestly say that we all made a difference in our "mock global society."

So, thank you Dr. Whitson, Dr. Burk, Dr. Sharkey and all those who showed us support in our endeavors!


Finally a CC Alum,
~Ophelia

Happy Holidays

Well, fellow delegates this year is almost gone. I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I also want to encourage the courageous women of Columbia College to accept the torch from the Model UN 2008 class, and apply for the Model UN next year. Do not be afraid, if you know nothing about politics Dr. Jones will make sure you know all you need to know. Have a Great Break!

Brittany Davis
General Assembly

PRESENTATION STUDENT UNION

Last night the Model UN delegation had a public presentation in the Student Union. Although we had a small crowd, those that did show up received a great deal of information, and the 'inside scoop' about being a delegate at the American Model UN. The delegates were forthright and very honest about their experiences in Chicago. The 20 minute presentation was interesting, humourous and honest.

Above: (L -R) Just before we started, Melanie Smalls, Miranda Thompkins, Ophelia Doe, Laura Conrad, Lynnette Cuenca and Rhiannon Maurer preparing.

Below" (L-R) Lynnette and Rhiannon, then Jennifer McGriff, Ramona Gibbs, Laniesha Gray, Kara Simmons and Brittany Davis.

Again, this was before the delegation started the presentation.

Here, some of the delegation are signing Thank You cards for people who supported the Model UN.

Many of the delegates will still be posting this weekend, and I still have quite a few more photos of Chicago yet to post. So please do stop by again. Next Monday the Model UN will be hosting a Thank You Lunch for Dr Burk, Dr Sharkey and Dr Whitson, who were the major sponsors of this year's trip. We will post photos of the lunch.

Looking Back...

As I glance back over the last 3 1/2 years, I can truly say I have grown. Now that I am a senior, I realize why my mother, aunts, and grandmother emphasized that C2 is the way to go. I came at the age of 17 very serious, dependent, and a little scared.Now I am 21 and I am serious but I do understand that life is too short to be too serious, I am independent, confident,competent, and courageous enough to step outside of myself and make a difference. When I first arrived to Chicago I was a little intimidated, but I realized that I have an education just like the rest of my fellow delegates and I have the strength to state my opinions.

Sadly, this course is coming to an end. I would like to thank the faculty and staff of Columbia College for investing in me and my dreams. I would also like to thank my fellow classmates for working hard in Chicago. But last but not least thank you President Whitson and Dr. Jones for believing in us.

General Assembly
Brittany Davis

One of the Best Experiences Ever!

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate my fellow delegates on a job well done. It was an honor for me to serve as your permanent representative and I was very proud to be a member of such a great delegation. The next Model UN class has a hard act to follow! Each and every one of you encompassed the 4 C's and showed the other delegations just how strong Columbia College women are - GO KOALAS! I would also like to thank Dr. Jones and all faculty members who supported us (we could not have done it without you!) I truly appreciated the oppurtunity to attend such a great conference. Chicago was amazing and I can't wait to go back next year!

I have to say that it was a lot of fun serving on the Committee for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). CCPCJ was pretty small with only 33 countries so communication and teamwork was a lot easier for us. Our two topics were Human Trafficking and the Global Initiative to Combat Transnational Organized Crime. With the help of my partner Rhiannon Maurer(kudos to Rhiannon for being such a great partner!) we were able to write and pass a resolution that proposed methods to prevent Human Trafficking. Unfortunately, our committee was so focused on Human Trafficking, we were not able to really come to a consensus about Transnational Organized Crime. However, we still accomplished a great deal and we made a lot of new friends from all over the country!

Jennifer McGriff

Day 2 as Delegates

Day 2: Day 2 was long, but it was worth it. At 8:30 a.m. we had to be in our seats ready for role call. We came in confident,because we had a better understanding of rules and procedures. Malaria was still the hot topic of the day. After everyone decided that their were going to look out for the interest of their country, I knew this had to be the Model UN. I began to realize why somethings are never solved. By the end of the day I realized that some students blew the conference out of proportion. Some students were not acting diplomatic at all, because they were so anxious to get a resolution passed. During the conference I learned that the African Union (AU) wanted to support from European Union (EU) countries, but they did not want the EU to monitor the funding. The EU did not agree; therefore the World Heatlth Organization seemed to be the best mediator to help solve the problem. Only two resolutions were passed, but we ready to face Day 3.....


The General Assembly Plenary
_ Brittany and Kara

Day One as Delegates

Day 1: As delegates of the Model UN it was sort of intimidating. But Kara and I managed to pull ourselves together. Without any problems we made new friends and we made sure that people knew that we knew exactly what we were talking about. Despite the fact that the program started late, we placed our best foot foward and we manged to discuss our first topic which was centered around malaria. We even learned from our research that 90% of malaria cases occur in Africa. In fact 3,000 people are affected by malaria each day.
After the role was called people tried to make us change our minds about the topics that should be discussed. But as diplomatic Italians, we made it clear that we would rather discuss the disease that is harming so many individuals. Day one was a long, but we learned a lot as displayed the characteristics of Columbia College Women.

- General Assembly Plenary
Kara Simmons and Brittany Davis

Reflection-Part One

Wow...this whole experience has felt like a whirlwind! It seems like just yesterday I was preparing for the conference...and now it's completely over!

I must say....this was a wonderful experience! I learned so much about the girls-well, women-that I worked with, and it didn't take me long to realize that we had a powerhouse group from Columbia College this year. I'm so glad that we all did so wonderfully after all the hard work we put into it....and even better, I know we can all say that we made Dr. Jones incredibly proud and made all her hard work worth it.

I'm all over the place in this blog because I have so much to say! I think I'll keep my general comments and reflections in this one, and talk about my committee and the work we did in another one...I think the work Italy's delegation did on the CCPCJ certainly deserves its own entry.

Chicago was amazing (and freezing!)...the hotel was incredibly nice, and the men and women from all the other schools were just as amazing. I met so many intelligent, fun people...these are definitely memories I'll never forget! I loved working with Jennifer...as a returning Model UN'er, she was incredible with helping me prepare and for calming my nerves...I couldn't have done it without her! (I'll have to remember to thank her in person). I'll also have to thank Dr. Jones for the opportunity and for all the preparation and encouragement she gave us.

Hmm...I think the rest is for my next blog...

~*~Rhiannon~*~

I am the Second Committee

I was the Second Committee...ALONE...as scary as i thought it was going to be, it actually was more beneficial for me to be on this committe by myself. I was nervous at first because it was my first time at the MODEL UN, and the thought of being alone just left me with all of these horror stories spinning through my mind.
The topics covered during our meetings were 1) external debt crisis 2) industrial development cooperation. Sounds complicated-but was not. the external debt was easy enough to discuss. I learned that Italy contributes a lot to the Monetary Debt relief fund, and Italy is a member of the well known G8. (which made Italy a well known and needed opinion). I debated with 'developing' countries about lowering tariffs...(why would we do that? we want money!!ha) but debating with developing countries helped me learn a lot about the world as a whole. I never knew that so many problems existed among so many other nations. I guess being an American I am use to being able to get what I want, not necessarily what i need. It was hard to keep my mind on being an 'Italian' and not the 'American' I am. The secong topic was industrial development cooperation, which basically talked about setting up jobs and industries in less developed nations to begin growing their economy. Building up their economy would help the local residents benefit from jobs. This was the harder of the two topics to discuss, because Italy disagreed with a lot of the European Union on this topic, so it was not easy to 'buddy up' with local European countries.
Altogether, I had a wonderful time. I not only learned about Italy, I learned about the world. I learned about problems that affect the United States and a huge part of the world. This experience helped me build on the 4 Cs. I had to use all 4 of the Cs at the MODEL UN. I met some very very great people and people who were not afraid of the challenge presented to them at the MODEL UN. I look forward to returning next year, with a better knowledge of how everything works at the MODEL UN. I will be able to pack a lighter bag, because I will know what to expect weather wise. I had an amazing time, and I thank everyone for their support!
:)
~Laura Conrad

First Committee!

Hello all,

Well Melanie and I were in the first committee which was regional disarmament and disarmament and development. I could only write on my behalf of having the experience to be in the first committee, which by the way was very fun. Our first day there was very hectic due to countries forming alliances and the EU trying to get everyone together, but by the time we did get into a group as for me it was an adrenaline rush. Serbia and Germany became our closest allies and we tried to help them with resolutions and discussed who should we convince to sponsor it. Even though it was very serious as to what we were doing, there was also funny moments that i will not forget; like when Isreal would threaten their enemies with notes or the time Melanie and I thought we were bombed! Also, the delegate from Kuwait would go up to the mic and say that one delegate is saying stupid things or that a resolution isn't making sense or that no one has anything smart to say. The fun part was caucusing and voting, i loved voting a little too much i think to tell you the truth. While Melanie would go about and talk to our allies about a resolution, I would vote for Italy and be hyponotized by all the resolutions. The whole experience was great, I learned more than I thought I would about the AMUN conference. I also learned that being shy is not an option there as well, from the first moment that committees were trying to create resolutions there was no time to be shy, I just had to be confident and speak loudly and what I thought. That was truly the only way to get the point across to other delegates, plus it was very noisy in the room. The First Committee in general did pass some resolutions which was a great result and it was nice knowing that we did our part to help pass the resolution as well. If I had a chance to go again I would most definitly and if I had to do something differently than the first time it would have to be that I need to get more involved with other delegates and truly work on a resolution and have our name on one!