The Department of Political Science hosted the “Arkansas and the World: Model United Nations Summer Camp” at the University of Central Arkansas on July 23-28, 2017. Thirty-five Arkansas high school students participated in a unique, interactive learning experience designed to enhance their understanding of international relations, diplomacy, and international organizations in the 21st century. The students participated in workshops on the fundamentals of Model United Nations, the history of modern international organizations, and the establishment of the United Nations (UN) organization during the Second World War. The students also represented assigned countries in a simulation of the UN General Assembly, including several committee and plenary sessions held throughout the week. The students also competed in a Global Trivia Competition held each night of the summer camp.
The summer camp was funded by a grant awarded to Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Associate Professor of Political Science, by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Eight current or former UCA students, including Alex Battaglia, Erin Whitfield, Danielle Casey, Caroline Casey, Ellen McKinnie, Nick Cartwright, Michelle Moore, and Quade Reed, served on the summer camp staff as resident assistants and mentors. Guest speakers during the week included Ms. Hannah Foreman, an Intern at the Clinton Foundation and undergraduate student at Michigan State University; Mr. Bill Foreman, Director of Public Relations at Heifer International in Little Rock; and Honorable Jose Aguilar Salazar, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Mexico in Little Rock.
