BALTIMORE, Md. – A delegation of Notre Dame of Maryland University undergraduates will join college students from around the globe to debate some of the world’s most urgent issues at this week’s Model Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in Washington, D.C.
NDMU’s Model OAS team prepare for the unique five-day simulation as part of a general education course, attracting students from a broad range of majors. Each college or university’s delegation represents a different country in the Western Hemisphere, with every student presenting and defending their resolutions in oral and written arguments. This year, NDMU will represent Colombia.
Additionally, participants will meet with the ambassador for the country they represent, as well as senior OAS officials, discussing some of the current international issues and controversies that impact their work. From negotiating their country’s positions to engaging with diplomats at the highest levels, students gain valuable skills that they can take into any profession.
“The students essentially get to observe and practice diplomatic skills, so they get a sense for how diplomacy works in the real world. It is often messy, and it is often highly personal,” said Dr. Anne Henderson, chair of NDMU’s Political Science & History Department, who leads the NDMU’s delegation and teaches the course. “Most of our students do not go on to become diplomats, although some of them do, but all of them gain huge experience in operating in a professional, high-stakes environments. It is really a great way for our students to develop these real-world skills.”
Students who participate in Model OAS for more than one year can compete to become elected officers on one of five committees, which mirrors the structure of the real-world OAS. This year, two NDMU students – Ariana Rodriguez and Aaron Ulak – are serving as elected vice chairs because of their excellent performance last year.
“Every year since I came to Notre Dame in 2007, we have had students who have really taken up the baton of leadership to serve as elected officers, including two past general secretaries of the entire OAS,” said Dr. Henderson. “That is quite an accomplishment because the election for officers is very competitive.”
Dr. Henderson often hears from former students about how Model OAS was one of the best experiences they had at NDMU. Because of her deep passion for teaching international relations, Dr. Henderson serves as vice chair of the Institute for Diplomatic Dialogue in the Americas, which hosts the Model OAS. She has led NDMU’s Model OAS team every year because of the joy of seeing her students’ growth as they participate in the program.
She is looking forward to seeing her students’ efforts pay off this week. “The students have worked so hard on their resolutions, and they are so proud,” she said. “Model OAS is the most valuable thing I do at Notre Dame. I love it!”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
