Muhlenberg Participates In European Union Simulation
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the annual MidAtlantic European Union Simulation Consortium (MEUSC). From November 20 through November 23, fifteen colleges and nearly 250 students will assemble in Washington, D.C. for this landmark event.Monday, November 18, 2002 10:09 AM
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the annual MidAtlantic European Union Simulation Consortium (MEUSC). From November 20 through November 23, fifteen colleges and nearly 250 students will assemble in Washington, D.C. for this landmark event, commemorating an enduring collaboration of the minds concerning issues central to the European Union. In its ninth year of participation, Muhlenberg College will send 14 students to represent France.
Every year this highly anticipated event provides an arena for top students to analyze, interpret, and discuss various government-oriented topics in an interactive setting. This year’s topic focuses on Common Foreign Policies of the European Union. Previous themes have included expansion of the EU, environmental issues of the organization and common agricultural policies.
Each school represents one of the fifteen European Union nations. Of the fifteen schools participating, nine are from Pennsylvania, three from Virginia, two from Maryland, and one from Ohio.
This four-day occasion commences with embassy briefings to their respective college representatives. Next, the students visit the Finnish embassy for a video conference with officers of the European Union in Brussels. The students then join their ministers and representatives for dinner. The two days of deliberations, sessions and negations conclude with a draft resolution and final action on the resolution.
“The hardest thing for American college students to learn is that walking out is not an option. One can not just pick up your own marbles and go home,” says Dr. Patricia McRae, assistant professor of political science and the advisor to the Muhlenberg College contingent. “The second hardest thing to realize is that there will always be tension between being a citizen of one’s nation, and being a citizen of Europe. Between the two, political priorities can shift dramatically.”
For Muhlenberg students, this experience serves as their final exam for the newly offered course at the College, European Union. In the classroom, students assume the identity of their alter ego and ultimately serve as this representation at the simulation. Past participants encourage this unique opportunity, naming it “pivotal in their college career,” and remarking on how “it gave them the confidence and understanding needed to compete in the international arena.” For other academic institutions, this consortium serves as a component of a class, a seminar experience or an exercise of a political science club.
Those observing the simulation this year include former ambassadors, members of the Department of State and delegates from the European Union Office in Washington, D.C. The tenth anniversary celebration will also incorporate alumni of the event.
