Tuesday, November 19, 2013 (Bronx, NY) - From October 25 through 27 and in early November, members of the Hostos Student Leadership Academy participated in back-to-back National Collegiate Conferences in Washington, D.C. and Boston that addressed the agendas of the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
Members of the Academy represented the African nation of Senegal at the National Model United Nations – D.C. 2013 conference and discussed topics about the increasing role of woman in disarmament and proliferation, managing migration for economic development, promoting maternal health in developing countries, and achieving sustainable energy for all countries around the world.
In addition, to participating in the conference where 100 countries were represented, students also received a personalized tour of the U.S. Capitol, visited various monuments, and participated in the opening ceremonies.
The Hostos delegation was among the most diverse groups to attend the conference, with members from Togo, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Yemen. Because of their diverse backgrounds, they developed a unique bond with the students who were representing Gabon, from the University of Lagos in Nigeria.
Hostos has developed a tradition of participation in the National Model United Nations Conferences, both in New York City and Washington, D.C., since 2010. This is the seventh time that the group has participated in the Northeastern-based Conferences in the past four years.
During the weekend of November 1 through 3, a group of 12 students visited the campus of Northeastern University in Boston for the 5th Annual Millennium Campus Conference—a student run and organized conference sponsored by the Millennium Campus Network. More than 50 speakers provided plenaries and workshops to more than 1,000 students from all over the world. Discussions revolved around how to become more effective and sustainable in reducing global poverty, how to end gender violence, how to be a more productive advocate for change nationally and internationally, and how to improve maternal health and eradicate infectious diseases and even how to effectively address modern day slavery.
The conference was an intense two-day series that allowed for the Hostos students to engage with world leaders, such as Economist Jeffrey Sachs, Peace Corps’ Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet, United Nations Secretary General Envoy for Youth Ahman Alhendawi, USAID’s Assistant Administrator Nancy Lindborg, Afghan Institute of Learning’s Founder Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, and Fashion Designer and Humanitarian Kenneth Cole.
The Hostos Student Leadership Academy has sent students to participate at four of the first five conferences sponsored by the Millennium Campus Network at Columbia University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University for the past two years.
Overall, the trips to Washington, D.C. and Boston are in line with the mission of the Hostos Student Leadership Academy’s mission, the City University of New York’s Leadership Model, The CUNY Star and the Hostos Community College 2011-2016 Strategic Plan.
About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique “Student Success Coaching Unit” provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
Hostos offers 29 associate degree programs and five certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to CUNY’s four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of The City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 480,000 students at 24 colleges.