“I really want to make my mark on the world, as cliché as that is,” Smither said. “I’m coming from a small town in the Midwest and people from my hometown haven’t really done a lot of big things. I feel like I need to prove something to myself and to my hometown that I will be influential and I will make a difference.”

MAL is a program on campus (co-chaired by Philip Howe, associate professor of political science, and David Takitaki, adjunct professor of communication) that operates under the administration of the National Council on United States – Arab Relations (NCUSAR). It is designed to allow students to learn more about political issues and cultural differences in the Arab world, and how these factors tie in with international relations. Adrian College’s program was founded during the 2008-2009 academic year under the direction of Howe and Sheri Bleam, professor of communication arts and sciences.

“The primary thing it gives you is a chance to work on your public speaking skills, your writing skills, your negotiation skills, and you also learn a lot about current events in the Middle East,” Howe said.

The program has offered Smither a number of opportunities. In addition to being a Fullbright Scholarship recipient (an award given to exemplary students for research in their field of study), she held a 10-week internship under the direction of NCUSAR working with U.S. – Arab relations in Washington, D.C. this past summer.

“I found out that I was interested in U.S. – Arab relations through this class because I was in a culture that was different than my own and a religion that was different than my own,” Smither said.

During her time in Washington, she worked with embassies, organized pamphlets for NCUSAR conferences, and worked with other interns to develop the MAL regional and national agendas for the 2011 competition. She lived on the campus of George Washington University with other students from around the country. Smither received a tour of the White House from Congressman Mark Schauer (D), explored the Smithsonian Institute museums, and had a weekend excursion to New York City.

Smither also visited locations in Washington, D.C. such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Supreme Court, Capitol Hill, and the Embassies of Bahrain, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. She attended biweekly lectures focused on the “oil-rich” countries in the gulf region of the Arab world, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and Palestine and Iran for political tensions they were facing from people such as the president of NCUSAR, Thomas Pickering from the Pickering Fellowship, and retired CIA secret operatives.

“I learned a lot about the difference in the language (and) a lot about how although they’re all Arab and share that cultural identity, the societies are different, depending on where you are in the Arab world,” Smither said.

Prior to the internship in Washington, she went on a one-month service learning trip to Guam in May. There, she became certified in scuba diving and participated in intricate wilderness hikes called “boonie stomps.”

“It was more of testing my own ability and expanding my own mind in a different field that wasn’t political science,” Smither said. “It was definitely life-changing and completely changed my outlook on a lot of things, whether it was culture or the environment.”

The first year Smither was involved with MAL, the program traveled to a regional competition where she received an award with senior Perry Kuipers for their portrayal of Iraq. Last year, she was awarded at regionals for her representation of Lebanon, and at the national competition she and senior Mitchell Harris received an award for their depiction of Djibouti.

“It’s overwhelming at times, but I’m happy that I have these ties,” Smither said. “I see these networking opportunities as opening doors for my future. One thing that surprised me is when I got to (Washington,) D.C. that you meet a person one time at a conference and that’s your connection. It’s a different atmosphere than what you’re used to in the Midwest. I think those type of networking opportunities are allowing me to expand and do more in the field of U.S. – Arab relations.”

The internship has led to an invitation for the Beirut Exchange, a two-week conference in January in Beirut, Lebanon. Smither will meet with top Lebanese officials to discuss issues in the country, as well as problems in Syria and Palestine.

She will receive 20 hours of Arabic instruction and a sightseeing tour of Lebanon.

“(It’s) a big deal for a U.S. citizen because we don’t have direct flights or ties to Lebanon because their leadership is seen as a terrorist organization,” she said. “The fact that I’m actually going is a little scary, but exciting at the same time.”

Currently, Smither works as an intern in AC’s office of government and public relations. During this election season, she has been able to help organize political events since local candidates were running for office.

“She has been a model of how to do this,” Howe said. “She’s been very good at stepwise using each opportunity to do something else, and every step accomplishing something more impressive. It’s exactly how people should do things. I see her going far, no matter where that is.”

Smither and Howe encourage students to try MAL as a way to expand their knowledge. MAL participates in the NCUSAR program each spring. Students are required to take the Model Arab League course (PSCI 355) prior to participation in the program.

“The class is an eye-opener because you’re learning what our countries believe that is not from the West, so that separates you from your upbringing and the way you’ve always seen things” Smither said. “It’s good to see from the eyes of someone else. There are other people out there who have different view from ours and I think that’s important to realize.”

Michigan students will represent Bahrain, Libya, Palestine and Oman at the 2011 regional competition. If they qualify for the national competition students will travel to Washington and visit the Embassy Oman for which they will be a representative.

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.

“Model Arab League is based on the Model UN, which has been around far longer,” said Philip Howe, assistant professor of political science and faculty advisor for the AC MAL contingency.

The goal of the MAL is to get students to be informed about their assigned countries and those countries’ stances on key  topics relevant to the Arab World now. Students are expected to represent their countries accurately, and make decisions that reflect the countries viewpoints while remaining objective, especially if their personal opinions don’t mesh with the countries’.

According to Howe, there are 20 models in the United States yearly. The one AC attends is at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Allendale, near Grand Rapids, Mich. AC is also on the wait list to be involved in the National Model, held annually in Washington, D.C.

In total, there are 22 countries in the League of Arab States, if one counts the Palestinian Authority, Howe said. This year, AC will be representing Kuwait, Lebanon and Sudan.

“On one hand, it’s just people who are interested in international events and specifically people who are at least interested in learning about events in the Middle East. So it’s part of the draw and part of a poli-sci thing, but at the same time it’s very much a speech activity,” Howe said. “It’s about diplomatic negotiation and even debate, so it draws a lot of communications students.”

Senior Shane Hinson agrees with Howe and says the MAL allows him to draw upon aspects of both his major and minor.

“My major is political science and my minor is English, so Arab League is right up my alley, because it’s simulated politics, but I know a lot of people who just do it because they enjoy it and they have a lot of fun with it,” Hinson said.

AC senior Amanda Liske, who has been involved with the MAL since it’s inception at AC, said she was looking forward t the model this year. Next semester will be her last opportunity to be involved in the model since she will be graduating in May.

She is pleased with the growth of the AC MAL program in the last couple years.

“Between the first and second year of participation, we went from being the new kids on the block to almost sweeping awards,” Liske said.

Hinson, who has also been involved with MAL since it was introduced to AC, said the MAL is both useful and enjoyable expericne.

““It’s a fun class; it’s a fun time,” Hinson said. “It’s really intensive and very informational, and you learn a lot about the Middle East and its history and politics.  It’s also great public speaking practice.  It really teaches you how to think and speak critically.”

An exciting development at last years model was Hinson’s appointment to the position of Assistant Secretary General (ASG) of the GVSU model.

“I feel pleased,” Hinson said. “When I sighed up for Model Arab League last semester, I didn’t plan on being elected to anything. I became a committee chair a week before the actual model, and then I got nominated by the people on my council for Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General, so I decided I’d go for it and see what happens and I got elected to ASG.”

Because Hinson is the ASG this year, he will not be involved in any of the countries or panals. Instead, he will be in charge of logistics and making sure everything runs smoothly.

Liske said she was happy for Hinson and his appointment to the position of Assistant Secretary General.

“I’m very excited about it,” Liske said. “I’m happy for him. I think it shows a lot of the work into going to the Model Arab League is being recognized. It’s quite an accomplishment for only the second year of participation.”

Howe also said he was pleased with Hinson’s position and what is said about AC in general.

“Shane gets a lot of credit, first of all, for getting himself elected to Assistant Secretary General,” Howe said. “ At the last model held at GVSU, he went around and put his name forward, met a lot of people, and shook a lot of hands and got himself elected, so it’s a big accomplishment for Shane.  For the school, I think it shows the recognition that Adrian College has within the Michigan Model Arab League community.”

Interviews Contributed by Will Chapin