Student selected as state rep to attend World Affairs Council
Janel Shoun-Smith |
Student Meredith Kilburn (right) with the representative from the Kurdistan Regional Government in the United States, Her Excellency Bayan Sami Abdul Rhman.
Student learns about global issues from international experts as one only 25 across the nation to attend national conference
Meredith Kilburn, a senior international relations major from South Carolina, was selected as one of 25 students from across the nation to attend the 2015 World Affairs Council of America national conference in Washington, D.C., in November.
Each year at its fall conference, the World Affairs Councils of America presents top foreign policy-makers and influential experts to council members from throughout the nation to consider the most important challenges and trends in global developments. The WACA board offers $1,500 scholarships for 25 undergraduate students nominated by the 96 councils throughout the U.S.
Assistant Professor of Political Science Susan Haynes encouraged Kilburn to apply for the scholarship through the Tennessee World Affairs Council, where Haynes is a board member.
At the conference, Kilburn attended panel discussions including officials from the U.S. State Department and diplomats involved in some of the most important issues facing the world today, including terrorism, economics and the refugee crisis.
Among the many activities at the conference, Kilburn heard a talk on ISIS by Ribal Al-Assad, founder and director of the Organisation for Democracy and Freedom in Syria and a cousin and lifelong opponent of Bashar al-Assad; she heard the Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S. Kåre Aas, speak about challenges and opportunities in the Arctic; she heard comments by Eugene Czolij, president of the Ukrainian World Congress; and she met the Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the U.S. at a reception at the Kurdistan regional office.
Kilburn hopes to use all the knowledge she gained when she writes her senior thesis in spring 2016, and the professional connections she made will prove invaluable in her future career, she said.
“To have the opportunity to hear so many different viewpoints was an incredible experience. In international law, you have to have such detailed knowledge of so many things. Anytime you have the opportunity to meet people with unique experiences, who have lived through international experiences, it is so valuable.” Kilburn said. “I am really thankful to Professor Haynes and Tennessee World Affairs Council President Patrick Ryan.”
Kilburn has served as an intern in Rep. Jim Cooper’s office and at the National Peace Corps Association. On campus, she is on the track and cross country teams and serves as an officer in the local chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law society. Her future plans may include work in the diplomatic service, human rights law or in international organizations. She plans to apply to the Peace Corps to work in international community and economic development.
The World Affairs Council of America is the largest nonpartisan, non-profit grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to educating and engaging the American public on important international events. Over 500,000 people a year benefit from the network programming.