Tag: D.C.
A Better Understanding of International Diplomacy: MOAS Class Travels to Washington D.C.
by The Cowl Editor on April 11, 2019
Campus
by Max Waite ’21
News Staff
This past week, 10 Providence College students in the Model Organization of American States (MOAS) political science class travelled to Washington, D.C. for their headline simulation.
Accompanied by Dr. Casey Stevens, the 10 students who represented the College were Peter Rindfuss ’20, Emili Castro Rodriquez ’21, Madison Clark ’19, Cierra Duclos ’20, Christopher Iadeluca ’21, Megan McGunigle ’19, Rachael Minassian ’19, Maya Neski ’21, Tara Noble ’20, Caroline Olsen ’19, and John Riccio ’19. This delegation of 10 students, which is composed of five committees with two representatives each, was assigned to represent St. Lucia at this year’s conference.
Throughout the semester, these hard working students spent their time in class researching St. Lucia, a small, developing state impacted by problems such as sustainable development, climate change, and security with limited resources from its tourist economy.
The MOAS simulation provides students with an idea of how diplomacy works and how to find creative resolutions to problems in the world today.
To prepare for the conference, the delegation wrote draft resolutions similar to bills that you would see at the real Organization of American States, the organization which the students were simulating.
Riccio stated, “These resolutions are designed to identify key challenges related to certain topics and propose creative and pragmatic solutions which all member states in the region can apply. The goal is to get your resolution passed, which requires a simple majority of votes from member states after it is formally debated in the committee.”
Specifically, the delegation focused on topics related to St. Lucia’s foreign policy goals, particularly freedom of press, food security, climate change, and political minority rights.
The delegation did more than just debate the proposed solution. Clark said, “In the general committee, where I was working as a secretary, we had to respond to a randomized crisis scenario brought before our committee and we had to work together in order to provide a successful solution to the problem.”
PC was accompanied by 26 other schools at the MOAS spanning across the country, and into foreign countries such as Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico.
The atmosphere of the simulation tended to be lively and intense at times, with lots of different ideas being tossed around at the Crystal City Marriott. Riccio said, “Personally, I think maintaining good diplomacy and a consistent attitude was the biggest challenge of the conference as it was easy to become rattled in the face of opposition and procedural limitations.”
Though the MOAS simulation is not a competition, the Friars passed three out of five resolutions relating to journalistic freedom, clean energy, and protecting political minorities. Despite the action-packed days spent at the simulation, the delegation of PC students was able to find some time to enjoy the local food of Washington D.C, explore the monuments, and even got to meet the St. Lucian Minister Counselor to the OAS, Mrs. E. Juliet Mallet Phillip, at the St. Lucian Embassy.
As part of the week’s itinerary, the students attended a delegate dance where they had a chance to interact with fellow students from other schools attending the simulation, and got to learn a few new moves on the dance floor from Latin American students.
In all the excitement of the week, Clark expressed her favorite moment: “Everybody there is so open and excited to talk to you that it is very easy to make connections and friends. I have friends that I have met at the model who I speak to on a regular basis that I find myself very close to, so the connections that can be made at the model are amazing.”
Riccio stated, “Without a doubt, my favorite aspect of the trip was being able to spend time with my classmates at dinners, excursions, and the delegate dance, and really get to know them all. My co-delegates are some of the most talented, creative, passionate, and personable people I’ve met during my four years at PC, and they are the reason that I will always smile when I look back on this trip.”
PC Goes to D.C. for an “Abroad” Experience:Students Work and Study in Nation’s Capital
by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
Looking to study and gain experience in the nation’s capital? Now you can, as Providence College has teamed up with American University to offer students the chance to study in Washington, D.C. for a semester.
The College is looking to give students more opportunities to gain exposure and broaden their horizons. This program gives students a chance to stay on American soil and get work experience through an internship in Washington, while taking classes towards their degree at PC.
Dr. Joseph Cammarano, professor of political science, is the director of the Washington Semester program, and he believes this opportunity is a great chance for students to gain some valuable experience.
Cammarano said, “The program is designed for students who wish to spend time gaining valuable and practical experience in public affairs, including law, journalism, public health, government, business, economics, and politics.”
He continued, “Once an area is selected, students complete a related internship, seminars in the concentration area, and an optional elective course in any discipline offered at American University.”
One of the biggest myths about this program is that it is only for political science majors.
Cammarano emphasized that it is open to all majors, stating, “Any major can find an internship experience and seminar that relates to their academic and career interests. In addition to political science, students from economics, business, philosophy, English, history, health policy, psychology, art, and theology have attended the program in recent years.”
When asked about the benefits of the internship experience, Cammarano said “It provides an enormous number of internship opportunities in almost any discipline (for example, a biology major could intern at the National Institute of Health), access to a wide array of free cultural and political venues, and provides a wonderful international experience for students who prefer to remain in the United States but would like a chance to study for a semester elsewhere and broaden their educational experience.”
Matthew Williams ’22 believes this is a great opportunity for PC students and that the program is something he could see himself taking advantage of later in his academic career.
Williams said, “I never knew about this program. With the study abroad program so popular here, it is easy for this program to fly under the radar. This program sounds very interesting, and is something I will definitely take into consideration.”
With the addition of this program, students no longer need to go overseas to gain a new perspective. Living in another country is not for everyone, which is why this program is so great for Friars looking for a different experience.
Having the opportunity to get an internship not only offers a great experience in your major, but also allows for great networking opportunities for the future.
This is a great opportunity for students at the College. With the professional world getting more competitive, this is a great opportunity for students to get hands-on internship experience as a part of their course of study while studying in Washington. PC students now have the chance to build their résumés in the nation’s capital.