2003 Spring
Students Attend International Conference
Press Release: Model Organization of American States
A group of 14 Baylor Students involved in the Model Organization of American States attended the 2003 Edgar Maya Model Organization of American States (OAS) conference in Washington D.C. April 13-18.
The students represented the countries of Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago at the international conference attended by 24 schools including universities from as far away as Guatemala and Argentina. Students worked in pairs in the various committee meetings where they presented resolutions and spoke on behalf of their country’s interests.
Peter Ghobrial, a Houston Graduate Student in Philosophy, served as President of the Model and Chair of the General Committee.
Team Captains Eric Heraly, a Bay City senior, and Joanna Cattanach, a Blum senior, headed the Mexican delegation and represented Mexico in the General Committee that dealt with issues on civil society participation, democracy, terrorism and drugs.
Students also met with officials at the OAS Permanent Mission of Mexico in Washington D.C. and the Trinidad and Tobago Embassy in Washington D.C. where they engaged the diplomats in lively discussion and question and answer periods.
Students attended regular class sessions prior to the competition. Part of their responsibilities included background study of their country’s position on various topics, studies in contemporary international diplomacy, presentation of mock resolutions and debate. This same group of students attended a training session in Monterrey, Mexico in preparation for the fall MOAS conference in San Antonio where they received numerous awards. The students were also asked to escort various delegates at the Annual World Affairs Council of Dallas Dinner attended by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and various dignitaries. They were given the added opportunity to meet and take a photograph with President George Bush, the key-note speaker at the dinner.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Joan Supplee, Director of the Latin American Studies program, was pleased with the performance of the outstanding team, “This was a great group of students to work with. Their studies prepared them well and they came to the competition with a lot of confidence backed up with a lot of knowledge. I am extremely proud of all of them.” Dr. Janet Adamski professor of Political Science was also co-sponsor of the team.
Individual awards are not given at the Edgar Maya Model competition, but elections for the following year’s competition are held at the conference. Baylor student Emily Matlock, a Shreveport, La. Junior and Latin American Studies major, who acted as Committee 2A Chair was elected as next year’s conference president. Baylor students have held two consecutive terms as president. Chase Browning, a Colleyville sophomore and a Latin American Studies major, represented Mexico in the First Committee and was successfully elected as next year’s Committee Chair.
Contact: Joan Supplee- x6294
#############
List of Students: Hometown-Major-Committee
LAS: denotes Latin American Studies
- Emily Matlock- Shreveport, La Jr. Latin American Studies Major- Committee Chair 2A economic and social affairs
- Ray Lopez- San Antonio, Poli/sci/ las- sophomore-Third Committee Budgetary Matters
- Joanna Cattanach- Blum- Poli.Sci- senior- General Committee
- Eric Heraly- Bay City, Bio Chem, senior- General Committee
- Kurt Conner- The Woodlands, LAS/Spanish-senior- 1st Committee
- Leah Davis- Waco, Acctg. Jr.-Third Committee-Budgetary Matters
- Farrah Rajabi- Houston- Spanish/Intnl Studies- 2B
- Rosario Escajeda- El Paso, Intnl Bus and Economics, Senior- Third Committee
- James Griffin- West Monroe, La.- University Scholar- senior- 2A
- Greg Sanderson- Nacogdoches –LAS –senior- 2B
- Wes Johnson- Ft. Worth- LAS-senior- 1st Committee
- Chase Browning- Colleyville-LAS-sophomore- 1st Committee
- Travis Kelly- Waxahachie- Intnl Studies- Jr.- 2A