Model Arab League starts season
Jessica Dolan '10
Issue date: 9/17/08 Section: Features
The Wheaton chapter of Model Arab League is a club that was initiated three years ago by students, with the help of Professor Yuen-Gen Liang in the History Department. The club meets weekly to learn about the social, economic, cultural and political issues facing Arab leaders.
A majority of the fifteen active members had previously participated in Model United Nations. Model Arab League is similar to Model UN, in that it simulates the process that world leaders go through in order to reach a consensus on decisions.
Once the members have thoroughly researched and grasped the current issues, they have their one shot each year at the Northeastern University Model Arab League Regional Conference. This conference is a three-day event in which participants are divide into committees and tackle issues that real-life diplomats face every day. Participating universities in the past have included the Coast Guard Academy and the University of Detroit, as well as smaller colleges similar to Wheaton.
A high proportion of the Wheaton team has taken home awards, such as Best Delegate, in past years. This is especially unusual for a fairly new team. The conferences are quite competitive, due to the fact that members are competing with extremely passionate and ambitious college students from some of the best schools in the nation. This competitive dynamic helps to foster deep critical thinking and problem solving skills.
The team claims that participation in Model Arab League is of value to all students, regardless of their academic major because skills developed carry over in to every academic discipline and area of life. Model Arab League has been working hard to obtain admission to the National University Model Arab League in Washington D.C. Admission in to Nationals is very competitive, as the majority of participating schools are considered Ivy League. The Wheaton chapter has been at the top of the wait list for some time now and hopes that 2009 could be the year that they get their big shot at Nationals.
Last year's Club President, John Saylor '09, says "If you want to roll your sleeves up on the tough issues in the Middle East, Model Arab League is the place to do it". Meetings are held Tuesdays at 6pm in the second floor lobby of Watson are open to students of all majors and prior experience.
A majority of the fifteen active members had previously participated in Model United Nations. Model Arab League is similar to Model UN, in that it simulates the process that world leaders go through in order to reach a consensus on decisions.
Once the members have thoroughly researched and grasped the current issues, they have their one shot each year at the Northeastern University Model Arab League Regional Conference. This conference is a three-day event in which participants are divide into committees and tackle issues that real-life diplomats face every day. Participating universities in the past have included the Coast Guard Academy and the University of Detroit, as well as smaller colleges similar to Wheaton.
A high proportion of the Wheaton team has taken home awards, such as Best Delegate, in past years. This is especially unusual for a fairly new team. The conferences are quite competitive, due to the fact that members are competing with extremely passionate and ambitious college students from some of the best schools in the nation. This competitive dynamic helps to foster deep critical thinking and problem solving skills.
The team claims that participation in Model Arab League is of value to all students, regardless of their academic major because skills developed carry over in to every academic discipline and area of life. Model Arab League has been working hard to obtain admission to the National University Model Arab League in Washington D.C. Admission in to Nationals is very competitive, as the majority of participating schools are considered Ivy League. The Wheaton chapter has been at the top of the wait list for some time now and hopes that 2009 could be the year that they get their big shot at Nationals.
Last year's Club President, John Saylor '09, says "If you want to roll your sleeves up on the tough issues in the Middle East, Model Arab League is the place to do it". Meetings are held Tuesdays at 6pm in the second floor lobby of Watson are open to students of all majors and prior experience.
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