Students travel to Grand Valley State University to discuss politics
Adrian College students traveled to GVSU for a regional round of debate. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Lambright)
Last weekend, Adrian College went to the regional Model Arab League for the third consecutive year at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich. Adrian College has been sending representatives to the model every spring semester since 2008. The premise of the model is that students from all over the country meet at regional models and role-play as different countries in the Arab League, like Jordan and Lebanon.
This year, AC represented the countries Sudan, Kuwait, Djibouti and Lebanon. Students representing the countries at the regional model are broken down into five councils: the council on political affairs, the council on social affairs, the council on Palestinian affairs, the joint defense council and the council on environmental affairs. After the regional models, some schools are invited to represent countries at the national model in Washington, D.C. This year, AC will be going to the model in Washington for the first time. According to Phillip Howe, assistant professor of political science, the students were encouraged to apply to go to the national model by a representative from the Nations Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR). The NCUSAR is in charge of all the regional models, the national model and a few scholarship programs, in addition to other duties.
“Last year, the representative noticed how awesome Adrian is,” Howe said.
AC followed the NCUSAR representative’s advice and was put on a waiting list. Just before the regional model, AC got the news that due to a school dropping out of the model and, “based on our performance last year and a bit of luck on the waiting list,” AC was invited to the national model.
“I think it’s fantastic, especially for this being our third year in the model at all,” senior Amanda Liske said. “It shows the ambition of the students, it shows the hard work we put into it and it shows what we’ve been able to do has been recognized.” Liske has been involved in the Model Arab League since it’s introduction at AC in her sophomore year.
Students present at this year’s model were: senior Aaron Hall and juniors John Gallo, Mitch Harris, Stan Rooksberry and George Stauch representing Djibouti, senior Shawn DeMay, juniors Brian Dearing and Kyle Austene and sophomores Andy Felder and Kelly Lambright representing Kuwait, seniors JaLisha Belle and Amanda Liske, juniors Andy Fox and Sara Smither and sophomore Jordyn Shekell representing Lebanon and seniors Michael Heitman and Trey Krauss, juniors Josiah Rickards and Amber Williams and sophomores Jenn Headley and Ashley Falcon representing the Sudan. Also present were senior Shane Hinson, acting as Assistant Secretary General and junior Perry Kuiper who served as Chair of the Social Affairs Council.
Howe said the decision for AC to represent Djibouti was made a couple weeks before the regional model.
“John, Aaron, Mitch, Stan and George deserve special mention for the fact that the Djiboutian delegation was created at the last minute, once the team had learned it would be representing Djibouti at Nationals this March, leaving them minimal time to prepare.”
Another good thing to happen to the AC delegation was the election of senior Shane Hinson as the Secretary General for next year’s model. He served as the Assistant Secretary General during this year’s model. “This means that he will be basically running the model at GVSU next year,” Howe said. “It should be added that he won by a landslide, which means that some of the schools present must have voted against their own candidates in order to vote for Shane. This is clearly a reflection of the extraordinary effort he put into making this year’s model happen.
For Lambright, this was her first time at the model and, according to her, she plans to go again if her schedule permits it, though she said she would “do it without credit hours.”
Lambright, who served on the council of environmental affairs, said some of her best moments at the model were when the council passed her resolutions. “When my first resolution went through, by consent, I was giddy.”
AC students also won awards at this year’s model. According to Howe, Gallo was awarded Honorable Mention Best Delegate to the Council on Palestinian Affairs and Smither and Harris tied for Honorable Mention Best Delegate to the Council of Arab Social Affairs Ministers.
Liske said students were well prepared for the model. According to her, after three years, the professors have “a pretty good idea” what the students should expect and how to prepare for the model.
She also said everyone tried their best to stay “in character” and act in the best interest of the country they were representing by basing their decisions on the research they had done on their country and not on student-to-student alliances.
The students going to the model in Washington are being funded partially through the school and partially from their own pockets. They will also be fundraising. For students and staff interested in donating money to assist the students go to the next model, contact Sara Smither at ssmither@adrian.edu or Howe at phowe@adrian.edu.