At first glance, Grayson County College and Georgia, a small country in the Middle East Caucasus region of Eurasia, are a world apart. However, that world got a little smaller when five GCC sophomores became “Georgia” during the National Model United Nations Conference (NMUN) in Washington, D.C., in November.

“Getting an education is more than academic at Grayson County College; it’s also experiential. National Model UN is only one of the many extracurricular opportunities that abound,” said Dr. Jean Sorensen, English professor and coordinator of GCC’s Honors College, which funded the trip.            

The GCC delegation was honored at a reception Nov. 24 at the college. Around 40 GCC students, staff and faculty listened as the students described the insights gained from their experiences.       

Delegates included: Cammie Casarez, Garrett Fulce and Joanna Ramirez, all of Denison; Kenneth Horn of Gunter; and Fatou Kebe of Senegal, West Africa. Mary Linder, GCC government professor, served as faculty adviser to the delegation.           

Team members included several Honors College students and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society members. Their collegiate background varied, however. Horn and Ramirez are traditional students, while Kebe is an international student. Fulce, an Internet student, could be classified as nontraditional as could Casarez, who returned to college after taking a break to marry and have children. Their varied perspectives made it a diverse delegation.           

“We try to find those students who will appreciate the opportunity to learn and participate in the conference. For this reason, we focus on students in Honors College but we don’t limit our selection to only those students,” Linder said. “Team members were chosen based on their ability to handle the pressure of balancing their research and preparatory meetings with their academic load.”            

Finding that balance isn’t easy; being an NMUN delegate incurs a lot of research and preparation. “National Model UN is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn more about other countries, world affairs, and how to engage in thoughtful dialogue about contemporary social and political issues,” Linder said. “Students take what they learn through their research and put it into practical application.”           

Supported by the Osgood Center for International Studies, NMUN simulates the real United Nations. School teams are assigned to different countries; as representatives of those countries, individual students are assigned to different NMUN committees that simulate real UN committees. GCC was assigned Georgia, which is a small country of nearly 27,000 square miles and about four million people. It is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan. Absorbed into the former Soviet Union in 1922, its independence was restored in 1991. Since August 2008, however, relations with its former overlord became strained when Russia supported two separatist groups in an armed conflict, prompting Georgia to pass a resolution declaring its Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions as “Russian-occupied territories.”           

NMUN participants also learn about UN procedure, treaties, and how to balance their country’s policies and interests while working with other countries’ representatives to further the work of the committee. According to the Osgood Center, the program expands students’ knowledge of the world by giving them a chance to experience politics and international affairs from many different perspectives. It also helps them put the broad preparation of their general education courses to the test through speeches and written resolutions requiring a basic understanding of economics, politics, ethics, history and psychology.            

As “Georgians,” GCC delegates conducted extensive research on the country’s policies toward specific topics. They worked within their committees to formulate resolutions and reports (tools the real UN uses to initiate action that affects the world).            

“Learning to engage in the discussion and debate that comes with this role-playing will serve students well in their future academic pursuits, as well as in their future careers,” Linder said.           

Casarez and Fulce were partners on the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Because of its location at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, Georgia is a member of the committee. However, the GCC students quickly realized the committee was gridlocked on a topic that was not directly relevant to Georgia’s interests. According to Fulce, who also served as lead delegate of the GCC delegation, much of their committee work required some political astuteness because, just as in the real UN, they were working with delegates who held differing ideologies and opinions on internationally important topics.           

“The committee was bogged down on a topic that meant nothing to Georgia,” said Fulce, a general studies major who plans to pursue a communications degree after GCC. “I infuriated other committee members by making a motion to end debate on that topic. As Cammie and I expected, no one voted for it, but our motion served a greater purpose. The committee stopped dragging its heels, and we moved on to a topic more relevant to Georgia.”           

For Casarez, a psychology/sociology major and PTK president, the experience was liberating. Self-described as an introverted personality, she usually enjoys behind-the-scenes work. However, after observing her committee’s debate and with her partner’s encouragement, she was inspired to speak. “Voicing Georgia’s beliefs was empowering,” she said.           

Casarez believes the significance of the Model UN experience is more than just educating delegates about actual world topics; it equips them for the real world. “The conference prepares students with everyday life skills whether it’s preparing position papers, public speaking, adhering to rules of procedure, caucusing, writing resolutions, debating – even dressing for success,” she said.            

Ramirez, a general studies major who is interested in psychology, appreciated the interaction with other delegates that tested and strengthened her leadership skills. She was the lone Georgia delegate on the General Assembly Third Committee, also known as the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee. “It endeavors to create an environment of peace for current and future generations by dealing with human rights and social development, implementing specific programs to promote protection of our children,” she said.

Ramirez, who also serves as president of GCC’s Student Government Association, credits her GCC education and extracurricular experiences for building her skills and confidence. “I applied information learned from great professors at GCC on things such as researching Georgia and public speaking,” she said. “Leadership skills gained from social interactions with GCC students prepared me for interacting with the conference delegates.”           

Horn, PTK vice president and a general studies major interested in law, and Kebe, a biology major, collaborated as partners with other delegates on General Assembly First Committee. Like its real-life namesake, this NMUN committee addressed three current topics: using nuclear technology in a peaceful world, security in Afghanistan, and the role of private military companies.           

“Dealing with these same topics gave the NMUN conference a realistic air, and the experience provided a realistic environment that you just can’t get in a classroom setting,” Horn said. “Representing Georgia’s position and working with delegates who were representing their countries gave us a chance to collaborate and compete with people who have differing opinions. That carries over to real life as well.”           

The partners enjoyed a fast-paced environment and formed coalitions with other delegates to sponsor three resolution papers; all of them passed, one with a 52-2 majority. They also were signatories on several others.           

“All of the delegates were really serious about their positions and behaved as if it was a true UN conference,” Kebe said.           

The GCC delegation is the fifth group of students to represent the college in the National Model UN program. Dr. Shelton Williams, founder of the Osgood Center, was a politics professor at Austin College in 2004 when he asked GCC to participate in the program. GCC has sent its students to interact with their peers from four-year schools around the globe for each of the past five years.             

“Some may think that community colleges cannot offer these types of opportunities and that students must wait until they get into a four-year institution to participate in conferences such as this,” Linder said. “Model UN is but one example of the many ways that GCC accomplishes this for our students. Of the many schools that participated this year, GCC was the only community college.”           

The Grayson delegation also was one of the smallest delegations at the conference. However, for its participants, size definitely didn’t matter. In fact, its size helped the group maintain good communication and collaboration throughout the conference. According to Horn, the GCC delegation was cited for its preparedness and professionalism.           

“We were small, yet powerful – and we held to Georgia’s beliefs on the subjects argued and resolutions signed or supported,” Casarez said. “By being strong, prepared and knowledgeable about our subject areas, we held up well against schools that brought 30- and 40-member delegations.”           

When the Model UN was not in session, the GCC delegation toured the monuments, war memorials and cultural sites that comprise the national treasures of the United States. The group particularly enjoyed tours of the White House and the Capitol, both of which were arranged by U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, and visits to the National Archives and the Library of Congress.           

“Both tours were spectacular and Congressman Hall was as gracious as always,” Linder said. “He spoke with us for about 20 minutes before our Capitol tour.”

Kebe was particularly impressed with Washington, D.C.  “As an international student and an African, it was so meaningful to me to have access to the most important places in the United States,” she said. “And the Library of Congress made me dream a lot.”        

Kebe was not alone in her enthusiasm. Being in the U.S. capital, touring the sites, and seeing the documents that shaped the United States were awe-inspiring and memorable to each of the GCC delegates. They gained new perspectives and renewed appreciation – and returned with a resolve never to forget.           

 “Thanks to an opportunity provided by GCC, we stepped outside our Grayson County bubble and gained a valuable experience that has forever changed our lives,” Fulce said. “Whether we remain in Grayson County or move to cities across the nation or around the world, we will take with us all that we’ve learned. Through us, the world will be different.”