The Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies hosted the fourth Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp at the University of Central Arkansas on July 9-14, 2023.  Previous summer camps were hosted by the department in 2017, 2018, and 2019.  Forty-four Arkansas high school students participated in a unique, interactive learning experience designed to enhance their understanding of international relations, diplomacy, and international organizations.  The students participated in educational workshops on international relations, the United Nations, and fundamentals of Model United Nations.  The students also represented assigned countries in interactive simulations of the UN General Assembly, including several committee and plenary sessions held throughout the week.  The students competed in two rounds of a Global Trivia Competition on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  The students participated in the Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) Letters of Hope project on Wednesday evening.

The summer camp was funded by an Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) grant awarded to the department by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).  Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies, served as Summer Camp Director.  Abby Mattingly, an International Studies and Political Science graduate of UCA, served as Assistant Summer Camp Director.  Eight individuals, including Coumba Soumare, Gabriel Mince, Lia Wilson, Julien Mrad, Cooper Horton, Allison Swindell, Hayden Rogers, and Aminatou Adeniji, served on the summer camp staff as resident assistants/counselors.  Guest speakers during the week-long summer camp included Jennifer Smith, Communication & Fundraising Coordinator, Heifer International; Willis Arnold, Volunteer Coordinator, Clinton Foundation; Christian Olson, former Deputy Commissioner and Chief Examiner, Arkansas Securities Department; Natalie Larrison, Director of Humanitarian Projects, Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF); and Mouaz Moustafa, Executive Director, Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF).

The Department of Political Science hosted the Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp at the University of Central Arkansas on July 14-19, 2019.  Forty-four Arkansas high school students participated in a unique, interactive learning experience designed to enhance their understanding of international relations, diplomacy, and international organizations.  The students participated in educational workshops on international relations, the United Nations, and fundamentals of Model United Nations.  The students also represented assigned countries in interactive simulations of the UN General Assembly, including 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 an Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) grant awarded to the department by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).  Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Associate Professor of Political Science, served as Summer Camp Director.  Ten individuals, mostly current or former UCA students, served as resident assistants/counselors.  Guest speakers during the week-long summer camp included Dr. Tom Williams, Dean of the UCA College of Liberal Arts; Ms. DeAnn McGrew, Director of Agriculture & Volunteer Programs, Winrock International; Mr. Willis Arnold, Clinton Foundation; Mr. Josué Villa, Consular Officer, Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock; Dr. Houston Davis, UCA President; and Governor Asa Hutchinson, State of Arkansas.

The Department of Political Science hosted the second Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp at the University of Central Arkansas on July 15-20, 2018.  More than 30 Arkansas high school students participated in a unique, interactive learning experience designed to enhance their understanding of international relations, diplomacy, and international organizations.  The students participated in educational workshops on international relations, the United Nations, and the fundamentals of Model United Nations.  The students also represented assigned countries in interactive simulations of the UN General Assembly, including 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 an Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) grant awarded to the department by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).  Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Associate Professor of Political Science, served as Summer Camp Director.  Eight individuals, mostly UCA students, served on the summer camp staff as resident assistants/counselors.  Guest speakers during the week-long summer camp included Governor Asa Hutchinson, State of Arkansas; Cindy Sellers Roach, Community Development Management at Heifer International; Warwick Sabin, Senior Director of U.S. Programs, Winrock International; and Honorable Rodrigo Morales Salazar, Director of the Protection & Legal Affairs Department at the Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock.

The Department of Political Science hosted the first Arkansas and the World: International Affairs 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 21^st century.  The students participated in educational workshops on the history of modern international organizations, the establishment of the United Nations (UN) organization during the Second World War, and fundamentals of Model United Nations.  The students also represented assigned countries in interactive simulations of the UN General Assembly, including 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 an Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) grant awarded to the department by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).  Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Associate Professor of Political Science, served as Summer Camp Director.  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/counselors.  Guest speakers during the week included Hannah Foreman, an Intern at the Clinton Foundation and undergraduate student at Michigan State University; Bill Foreman, Director of Public Relations, Heifer International; and Honorable Jose Aguilar Salazar, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Mexico in Little Rock.