Since my freshman year, The International Affairs Society has not only been the largest undergraduate non-partisan student organization but also my home. I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to serve on the Executive Board of the IAS in two different capacities: as Academic Coordinator during the 2010-2011 school year and as Secretary-General of GWCIA this past Fall. Serving in both positions has not only given me the opportunity to build upon my leadership and fiscal capabilities but also has provided me with the ability to effectively communicate with various academics throughout Washington D.C., international organizations and university administrators.

As Chairman, I would continue to promote the growth of the organization by fostering our relationship with the Elliott School, expanding the ability and reach of our Academic and Outreach programs, supporting the training of our distinguished Model UN team, and perhaps most importantly encouraging a social community based on shared common interest for debate and international affairs. Further, I will continue to encourage the growth of our hosted MUN conferences by ensuring that they have ample funding, support, and space to grow. As Chairman, I will ensure that this organization’s profile on campus is increased and supported.

Having been able to serve on the Executive board of the IAS for the past two years has been not only an honor but also a great responsibility. As a member of the Executive Board, one has a duty to represent the organization to the best of his or her ability while also encouraging decisions that will benefit the members.

I plan to take the lessons that I have learned on the Executive Board with me while acting as the Chairman of the IAS. Effective and efficient communication between Executive Board members, the member body, and University administration is crucial to the success of the IAS. As Secretary-General I was able to host the largest GWCIA to date this year, attracting over 325 students to GWU for the conference, with the support of the IAS and GW Community at large. An Executive Board member first and foremost is a representative of the membership and as Chair I will serve the membership by assisting the other Executive Board Members in their tasks while acting as a liaison to University administrators.

The success of the IAS rests on the quality of leadership of the Executive Board combined with the dedication and support of our members. The ability of the IAS to remain a leading organization on campus hinges on the ability of the organization to attract, maintain and expand its membership base. This is accomplished by the continued promotion of diverse academic, social, and outreach programming. Similarly, IAS’s MUN program’s outstanding success in the past couple of years must be reinforced this upcoming year. As Chairman, I will encourage communication between the Executive Board and all members, especially the incoming freshman class. The open discussion between all members will encourage idea sharing and ultimately fantastic programming that is truly reflective of members’ interests.

Since I have been involved with the International Affairs Society, both our hosted Model United Nations Conferences, WAMUNC and GWCIA, have seen great growth in delegate and total school participation. Our hosted conferences allow all of us to give back to students, sharing our passion for international affairs and productive debate. I will further promote the growth of these conferences by ensuring that they have ample funding, support, and space to do so.

The International Affairs Society has been one of the most prominent student organizations on campus since I came to GWU in 2009. The IAS’s ability to provide high-quality, diverse, relevant and interesting programming combined with the success of its Model United Nations program allows the organization to expand its reach every year.

As Chairman, I will foster the continued development of these programs by encouraging a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with both the Elliott School and university. From my experience serving on Executive Board, I have realized that IAS activities are sometimes unfortunately suppressed as a result of miscommunication with the university. I will have open and frequent dialogue with university administrators in order to effectively communicate both our membership’s needs and goals.

The IAS is an organization that prides itself on its large and diverse membership base. It is important for the Executive Board to remain in constant discussion with its members so they have the ability to communicate not only their desires but also their concerns. As Chair, I will encourage all members of the Executive Board to proactively reach out to members, new and old, to get their insight and opinion into what they think would be best for the growth of the organization.

GW provides a great environment for student led organizations and initiatives to expand and become vital parts of student life here on campus. As Chair, I will encourage the cooperation of our organization with other relevant student organizations here on campus thus increasing the capacity and quality of programming provided to our members. By taking advantage of the wide array of student organizations here at GW, the IAS can continue to grow and serve as a leading student organization.

Last, but certainly not least, as Chairman I will promote and highly encourage a sense of community and friendship amongst IAS members. The International Affairs Society has become so much more than a student organization to me; it has become a place where I can socialize and discuss topics with individuals who all hold similar interests and passions to my own. IAS members have become more than just colleagues and fellow students; they have become long lasting friends. I will continue to promote an environment that encourages such dialogue and friendship.

As the largest non-partisan student organization on campus, the IAS offers a wide variety of programming, events, and opportunities for members. However, the IAS as a whole is not as united of an organization as it could be. The IAS can offer so much to students, and I look forward to expanding the IAS’s role on campus to be the most vibrant student organization focusing on international affairs. I have three specific goals as chair for this organization: leadership, programming, and outreach. It is absolutely critical that the leadership of the IAS is united, professional, and dedicated to the organization, and I will work with the executive board to ensure that all eboard members contribute 100% to the organization. Additionally I look forward to vitalizing programming, such as incorporating simulations, round-tables, and forums into academic events, and incorporating philanthropic efforts into social events. Improved programming and events that are interactive and fun will enhance every member’s experience. Finally, I want to lead a campus-wide outreach effort to the Elliott School, professors, and students. My ultimate goal is to increase opportunities for IAS members and increase the number of active IAS members, which will improve the organization as a whole.

It is the responsibility of each Executive Board (eboard) member to fulfill their duties to the best of their abilities in order to ensure that the IAS has the most successful year possible. Eboard members must serve alongside fellow eboard members, support each other’s events and endeavors, and make decisions for the best interest of the organization as a whole. The executive board coordinates all programming and events: the collaboration of all eboard members is critical to ensuring the success of these efforts. Additionally, eboard members are the leaders of the IAS. Each eboard member must fully embody this role as a leader and set positive examples for all general members. This requires executive board members to fulfill their individual tasks, help other eboard members who need their assistance, attend all events they can, serve as a resource for other members, reach out to new members to encourage them to get involved, maintain contact with preexisting members to ensure they stay involved, act in a professional manner, and positively promote the IAS on campus. The IAS executive board is the foundation of the IAS as a whole, and if the eboard takes these steps we can ensure this organization’s success.

Looking at the IAS as a whole in this coming year, I have two general goals for the IAS that will allow the organization to grow and improve. The first of these goals is to solidify an image for the IAS, which will in turn achieve my second goal – increase active members. Currently the IAS’s image is fragmented: events aren’t well-known, social media isn’t harnessed to its full potential, and ultimately a majority of students are not fully aware of the full range of opportunities for their involvement within the IAS. To solidify the IAS’s image is to allow for our goals and message to be effectively communicated to students, staff, administrations, and potential speakers. Improving the IAS’s image will best be achieved through an active eboard to spread awareness for the IAS and best share our goals, effective communication with students through improved General Member Meetings, social media, and the listserv, and better coordination in preparation for all events. These efforts will in turn increase the number of active members within the IAS. It is only when the IAS is viewed as a well organized, effective, unique organization that the number of active members will increase.

The IAS has the unique opportunity to bring students together with a common interest in international affairs. As chair, it is my responsibility to work with the eboard to set the vision for what we would like to accomplish, ensure that all programming and events are planned and executed to the best of our abilities, and work towards the improvement of the organization as a whole. Thus, one of my first goals will be to work with the eboard to ensure more collaboration on programming and events. The most effective way to encourage members to stay active within the IAS is through offering programming that will enhance their classroom experience, while simultaneously providing enjoyable social opportunities. For instance, I will work with the Model UN coordinator and academic coordinator to augment events with speakers through including an interactive component to the event beyond a simple Q&A session. Additionally, I will work with the social coordinator and outreach coordinator to find more ways to incorporate philanthropic efforts into our social events. While it is up to each eboard member to execute their position-specific programming, I am confident that encouraging collaboration among eboard members in event planning will significantly improve IAS events as a whole, and therefore increase the number of active members.

Moreover, as chair I serve as the face of the IAS. I will improve relationships with the Elliott School administration, professors, and student organizations in order to ensure that the IAS continues to grow and strengthen. Regarding outreach to the Elliott School, I will continue to foster the relationships that have already been established, and fight for the needs of the IAS. I will work with the administration to explore all ways in which the Elliott School can help the IAS, and will use them to their fullest potential. Additionally, we have a wealth of knowledgeable, experienced professionals right on campus: our professors. I would like to take the lead in forging positive relationships with professors, and work with them to improve programming. Finally, I want to lead an outreach effort to all other student organizations on campus. Forming relationships with other eboards will allow for new partnerships to be made, as well as allow more students to know about the IAS and the numerous opportunities it provides for students.

I am greatly honored to have been nominated for the position of vice-chairman of the IAS Executive Board. As a rising junior, I have been intimately involved in the organization since my very first days here at GW. Beyond being an active member of the organization for the last two years, I have also had the privilege of serving as the organization’s freshman representative, director of communications and now vice-chairman. I look forward to having the opportunity to continue to serve this exceptional organization in my current capacity of vice-chairman in the 2012-2013 academic year.

Being an IAS Executive Board member is both a responsibility and a privilege. Having served on the executive board for the majority of my undergraduate career, I have committed countless hours fulfilling and exceeding my officer responsibilities. Even beyond this, I have gone beyond the stipulated constitutional duties as an officer and I have dedicated an even greater amount of time to support other officers in event planning, organization, day-of work and much more.

However, being an IAS executive board member also has allowed me to work with some of the most exceptional and dedicated people I have ever met. Each officer possesses a personal drive that acts as a catalyst in driving the rest of the executive board members even harder to accomplish the organization’s goals. Seeing and being a part of this has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my undergraduate career.

Having seen two years of the organization from a leadership perspective and having heard about the organization’s history and progression from veterans of prior years, I have recognize that there are multiple changes to the organization that must take place in order to push us to the next level.

1: The Colonial Cadets program instituted this year was a significant advance in terms of raising freshman involvement and commitment to the organization. As a pilot program, it showed us that a training program such as Colonial Cadets has the potential to advance our organization as a whole. Now that we have established this program, it is time to open it to the membership in its entirety. Therefore, one of my goals is opening the Colonial Cadets program to all those interested in College MUN, regardless of skill and experience, so long as there is an interest.

2: Having seen WAMUNC for two years and hearing stories of years prior, I have come to the conclusion that in order to expand WAMUNC, it must be moved off campus. Preliminary actions have already been initiated by both myself and treasurer Mark Haber, and I wish to continue this work.

Having served in the capacity of vice-chairman for several months, I have come to establish several goals for myself for the next academic year should I be elected.

1: Constitutional Reform: The Constitution contains the guiding principles of this organization and is a lighthouse in times of question. However, in fulfilling my duties as vice-chair this year, I have come to recognize certain elements of the constitution are in need of dire restructuring. I wish to achieve this restructuring in the subsequent academic year with the assistance of the rest of the executive board.

2: Membership list: As director of communications, I initiated a process of streamlining all electronic access points for the organization. In doing so, I also initiated a pilot program for a centralized membership list that contains all necessary information. Currently, there exists no standardized system, but in the next year, I wish to work with the elected director of communications in establishing such a list in conjunction of the IAS listserv.

After an exhilarating year being the Editor-in-Chief of the Globe, I would love the opportunity to serve as your Vice-Chair. We have all worked to make the IAS one of the most prestigious organizations on campus and I want to continue to channel my passion into this great organization. As Vice-Chair, I would strive to enhance the IAS for current and incoming members. Through the Globe, I have shown my organizational strength and dedication to academic excellence. One of the many responsibilities of Vice-Chair is editing and distributing the weekly listserv. Editing over 30 papers per semester this year has made me qualified for the task. In addition to handling the vast administrative duties of the organization, the Vice-Chair serves as a source of support for the other executive members. The Summer International Leadership Program (SILP) is a conference I help plan for high school students interested in international affairs. For SILP, I coordinate embassy visits, speakers from the IMF and World Bank, social activities on the mall, and a service event for veterans. My experience in planning a myriad of events in DC allows me to be a vital service to the other members on the executive board.

I have wholeheartedly dedicated my past year to the IAS as an Executive Board member; it has taught me invaluable lessons and provided me with insight in becoming a strong, excellent member of the board. The top priority of being an IAS Executive Board member is accomplishing the qualifications of one’s position. As the Editor-in-Chief of the Globe, I worked with my dedicated staff to take the academic journal to the next level. We corresponded with professors and administrators, including President Knapp and Dean Brown, worked with students from every facet of campus, and put ample time into creating two editions. Even more important than accomplishing the assigned duties of an IAS Executive Board member, is one’s dedication to the IAS. It is essential that a member be committed to the organization in all aspects. The most important attribute that an Executive Board member must have is unwavering dedication to the organization. This means that regardless of personal interests, an IAS board member should always put the IAS first. He or she should attend as many events as possible and always be cooperative in brainstorming ideas to enhance the IAS in the future.

The IAS has succeeded in bringing amazing speakers, winning a myriad of awards at MUN conferences, and numerous other aspects. But as with any organization, there is always room to grow. The first major goal that I have is maintaining and increasing membership. By working to incorporate and retain the current members, as well successfully recruiting more freshmen in the fall, the IAS will have an even greater presence on campus. To do this, I propose having more administrative positions for members, such as councils for different topic areas. This would not only help the executive board members, but would also allow members to have a greater say in events.

My second goal for the IAS is to expand our presence in DC. With such an amazing location, the IAS should take advantage of the city. The IAS has perpetually been great at bringing extraordinary speakers on campus, but we can also grow off campus. For example, we could work with an organization in DC to create a professional relationship with them. By augmenting our relationships with DC organizations, we would not only make our programming more diverse, but it would helps us provide members with connections, internships, and resources.

Each week, members of the IAS e-board diligently plan numerous amazing events for the organization. The major way that this information is distributed is via the IAS listserv. The listserv is the most crucial link between Executive Board members and the general IAS members. It gets the members to show up to the IAS events. If elected Vice-Chair, I would guarantee that the listserv would be distributed on time and published with a standard of academic excellence. My experience with typography and formatting the Globe has made me skilled at creating a listserv that is both professional and aesthetically pleasing.

In order to make the listserv easier and more convenient for Executive Board members, I would create and share a Google doc with the board that has all of the listserv’s for the entire semester. This way, members can put information about an event up when he or she creates it, instead of waiting until the Sunday before, increasing the chances that he or she could potentially forget about it. It would also allow for members to work ahead, plan advertising, and make the listserv look more cohesive. For example, if an event is advertised for multiple weeks, a member can place his or her information in for all of those weeks at one time instead of having to remember to email the Vice-Chair every week.

Secondly, I would require all IAS Executive Board members to send his or her notifications and updates before the weekly executive board meetings if he or she is going to miss the meeting. This way, if members cannot make a meeting, it will still be productive and other board members will be able to learn about the upcoming events. This would increase cohesiveness and efficiency on the board.

Another change I would like to impose is increasing the Vice-Chair’s involvement in the planning of other events. If elected Vice-Chair, I would serve as a tool for other members to use if he or she needs extra help planning an event, brainstorming, contacting speakers, and ample other facets. With such a vast organization, it would be helpful to have someone to aid in the administrative duties and orchestration of the event. Since the board is going to be full of relatively new members, my involvement could help ease the transition to a new board to make next year even more successful.

I am running for treasurer primarily to build on the work I have already done this year to get the IAS finances in order and make the organization more cost efficient. Therefore the organization can have more money to spend on programing and keeping people’s costs low. The main idea behind the finances of the IAS is balance. You need to balance all the facets of the org while making sure the priorities are in check.

To be an executive board member of the IAS is to be a leader. This is a simple idea but has many parts to it to make the point. Members of the e-board should attend almost every event unless they have a very pressing commitment. E-board members to remember the good of the organization is more important than any one person’s ambitions or ideas. To be on E-board a person has to be willing to be a leader outside of their position and take part in everything they can. Having dinner with younger members of the org and making freshman feel welcome. Finally if you are on e-board you are expected to help with WAMUNC and GWCIA even if that means spending hours upon hours in Marvin stuffing folders and badges in order to make the conference work. This has been a problem with some members of the executive board in the past and I hope to change it moving forward.

The first goal I have for the IAS is pretty standard but the still important recruitment. The IAS has historically had a big problem with getting tons of freshmen to the first GMM and then loosing many of them. To fix this there has to be major changes to the colonial cadets program. It is extremely destructive to membership to have a rejection letter send out to people so early in the year. Also I am completely opposed to the idea that only the best people can be trained. Training should be tailored to the specific needs of members while not being exclusive. Colonial Cadets is a good start but needs to be made to fit into the framework of the IAS. The second goal I have for the future is moving WAMUNC to an office campus location. The conference has gotten too big to fit on the GW campus and would work so much better in a hotel and allow for midnight crisis.

The goals I have for treasurer next year are all about efficiency. This year was a learning process and I would like to make things run smoother and faster. I plan to work with the Secretary General of both GWCIA and WAMUNC to make the conferences more cost efficient and cut some of the unnecessary costs. I would also like to make the costs for Model UN conferences lower across the board as well as looking at making a conference free of charge. I am hoping to use the greater efficiency to have more money to subsidize the conferences.

My mission is to deliver effective, high-impact communications within and outside the IAS, and to ensure our messages reach you, our fellow GW peers, and our D.C. community through strong and creative marketing, public relations, web, and graphic design skills.

I took Marketing I & II, Webpage Design, and Image Editing classes in high school.

With a strong background in qualifying for DECA’s (MUN of Marketing)’s top International Conference and job shadowing Gillette Venus’s Global VP of Marketing as a junior in high school, I also have hands-on experience as Public Relations Director of Spanish Club, organizing social media communications and event poster PR campaigns, and leading the winning marketing presentation/project at an MIT teen business program.

In addition, I can maintain a top-notch IAS website with my versatile knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and HTML coding.

As a marketing fountain of wisdom, computer nerd, and artistic visionary, I will make sure IAS’s Communications and PR look as great as our outrageously attractive members. Thank you, I appreciate your vote for Sophia Lin, Director of Communications, and hope to deliver a phenomenal Communications experience for IAS.

For me, being an IAS Executive Board member embodies the role of moving the organization forward in reaching its objectives, fulfilling the greatest of its potential, giving every member a memorable and awesome experience, and representing the organization’s best in both public image/reputation as well as in its core foundation. I believe that being an IAS Executive Board member calls for a strong, proactive leader who meets and exceeds his or her duties in responsibility, commitment, and engagement with the organization and its people.

Many would like to see the IAS with stronger roots and relationships, especially given its standing as the largest nonpartisan student group on campus.

The first of my two goals for the IAS is to not only continue its fantastic programs and events with honorary dignitaries and special speakers, but to maintain these valuable connections over time. I want to see the IAS building a lasting relationship with the many ambassadors and secretary-generals that share such knowledge and experience with us. To do this, one idea is for the IAS to host small post-engagement opportunities to give students who are particularly interested in what a speaker has been discussing another opportunity for a more interactive and intimate group dinner session.

 

My second goal would be to foster valuable connections for internships and international relations research opportunities with the high-level dignitaries and their representative organizations. I believe that the IAS embodies a core of GW’s students passionate about international affairs, political science, and global cultures and peoples. The IAS can become a medium to connect its members with amazing internships with, for example, local embassies of ambassadors who have spoken with us and who we’ve fostered a strong relationship with.

I have at least two goals I am set to accomplish as Director of Communications: an updated, innovative, hot new look of the International Affairs Society and the Globe, and the recording of speaking engagements and video archive on website.

As many of you may actually not know, the International Affairs Society and the Elliott School of International Affairs sponsor an undergraduate academic journal called The Globe. Why have most of us not even heard of nor seen this publication? This is the first year that the Globe has started to develop more, and to publish higher caliber academic papers, as well as design a more legitimate magazine/journal layout design. I am excited to join the great staff at The Globe as Communications Editor, and I am working on redesigning a logo and cover for the upcoming April edition as a very legitimate printing form of a book instead of magazine or paper packet. I want to help update and create a bold, new face of the International Affairs Society as well, via posters, Facebook image, and website.

My second goal is to record speaking engagements of ambassadors, panels, and debates, organize and edit these videos, and to put these up on the IAS website. Many top universities have YouTube channels of class lectures and special topic seminars, and I believe that GW’s IAS can offer such a fantastic and interesting service to as local as our own members who want to watch speakers again on a topic that was very interesting to them, and even to the global community who are interested in hearing from great international diplomats and other speakers. The IAS can create as big a presence of itself in the GW community as well as on a global scale, and I want to help move the IAS forward in these developments.

My name is Amy O’Halloran and I am your candidate for Director of Communications. I believe that I am the ideal candidate for this position given my past experiences working in media and communications including internships at CNN International in London, numerous campaigns in similar communications related positions, and this summer I will be the Press Secretary for the US delegation at the Youth G8&G20 Summit. In each of these positions, I have learned how best to communicate information as well as strategies on how to use different tools as a means to raise profiles of organizations. I have experience in using Photoshop and all forms of social media, and will work to use all of these tools in my capacity if elected.

On a more general level, I am a very hard working and passionate person who will bring everything I have to this position if elected. Furthermore, I will maintain a professional manner. My personal feelings will not get in the way of making decisions about further enhancing the IAS and the success it has achieved over the course of this past year and historically.

Leadership and Respect are two things that I feel are key attributes of all members of the IAS Executive Board due to the fact that one’s peers have elected one to make decisions on their behalf in one of the largest student organizations on GW’s campus. I also believe that being an Executive Board member provides one with the opportunity to be able to interact with all members of the IAS, as well as potential members of the IAS, through organization fairs and incoming freshmen activities such as Colonial Inauguration. Finally, I believe that being a member of the Executive Board is an honor and therefore is a position that must be taken seriously. Any and all efforts undertaken in the position must be done in a timely, effective, and organized manner and I believe that all members of the Executive Board must be willing to commit to such a high standard of work, a standard that I strive for in all that I commit myself to do.

The IAS should showcase our wonderful professors more than we currently do. I believe that bringing in more professors to speak and network with the students will be very valuable as it is another perspective to consider on different issues and compliment points raised by Diplomatic Ambassadors. In this way, we can get the ideologies on the issues from the professor while the diplomat would provide the practical application of such ideologies. Furthermore, if we have more professors at our events, it will provide the students additional opportunities to be able to build relationships with them and possibly offering IAS members further opportunities, beyond the classroom, in searching for research positions or a ‘recommendation letter’.

My second goal is to broker greater partnerships with other student organizations on campus and promote collaborative opportunities. The IAS is one of the largest organizations in the Elliott School, so I believe that we should always be a leading organization to partner with. Ways in which I would envision brokering these partnerships would be through events and communication at the beginning of the semester thereby establishing a point of contact with appropriate groups.

As Director of Communications I propose to expand the use of social media as a means of spreading awareness not only for the IAS, but all of its events as well as a means to showcase what its members are doing. I believe that of all the tools the Director of Communications has at her disposal, social media is perhaps the greatest because it provides the IAS with the power to be able to reach out to, and engage with, more students and their organizations than any other means of communication. Students can “check-in” at events and post photos, and it could even be used as way to “live blog” all the MUN conferences, for example, to keep all GW students in the loop, not just IAS members. Additionally, social media can be used to reach out to incoming freshmen, transfer students, or even current students who want to get involved in the IAS.

Secondly, I see the social media tool as a platform for discussion amongst students. There could be a daily posting of articles with a “thought-provoking” question where students could post responses. This would allow for greater amounts of discussion on international affairs and related issues, and could also be coordinated with upcoming events where the Academic Coordinator could suggest articles or links that provide greater information on the speakers that are coming to GW.

Finally, as Director of Communications I expect to collaborate more with other GW news sources including The Hatchet so as to generate more publicity for the IAS and its events. I believe that such collaboration will help raise the profile of the IAS as a whole as well as the students within it and their achievements. Furthermore, I believe that through using these sources of communication, events hosted by the IAS will garner greater publicity and will invite more students not currently involved in the organization to come and attend. The objective would be to use this strategy as another tool to bring additional students into the organization that previously were not dues paying members. Through increasing awareness within a publication such as The Hatchet, we can continue to raise the profile of the IAS as whole to the GW complete student body and all of its successes.

Model UN is one of the most valuable components of the IAS. It will, in the future, continue to have positive repercussions for our organization and the reputation of our university. My name is Max Sanders and I am running for the position of Model UN Coordinator because I believe it is time to invest in that future. I believe a Model UN Coordinator who can truly devote himself to the position is needed now more than ever as we decide what we want the future of GW Model UN to represent.

As Freshman Representative, I’ve developed a great deal of experience. From creating and planning events with the Executive Board and the Freshman Committee, to booking flights and hotels for MUN conferences; the training I’ve received from several e- board members has uniquely prepared me for this position. Furthermore, my experience as president of several nationally-ranked high school teams, including Fed and Euro Challenge, as well as my maintenance of personal relationships with many other head delegates on the circuit has made me inimitably adept at guiding a team along the best path towards success and ensuring that GW Model UN remains one of the strongest teams in the nation.

In my time on the IAS Executive Board, I found that being a part of e-board is more than just representing your position—it’s about actively engaging with other e- board members, contributing to their programming and presenting a unified face to the organization. As Model UN coordinator I wouldn’t remain isolated and dedicated solely to Model UN. This year, for example, I was at nearly every event, postered for many different types of programming including social and academic, and coordinated with several members of the executive board to create multilateral programming with the Freshman Committee. This synergy has to be a key priority for any e-board member as it creates greater communication, cooperation and overall efficiency.

In addition, being a member of the executive board means being a representative of the organization and GWU as a whole and, thus, any member should act accordingly. This can be as simple as arriving early to help set-up events, to knowing how to format polite and professional emails when corresponding with important dignitaries, different universities or various student organizations. These skills and dedications are extremely valuable and ones which I would undoubtedly put into use during my second year on the executive board.

The largest goal for the IAS should be retention. This year, we had approximately 200 members show up to the first GMM. At the most recent GMM we had about 50. While some degree of drop-off after the first meeting is expected, we must work harder to make individuals feel more invested in the organization. This includes not only more programming, but more exclusive benefits for being a part of the organization. Obviously, much of this rests outside purview of MUN Coordinator; however, I would certainly advertise the connections, personal relationships and leadership skills one has to gain by being a part of the IAS’ Model UN team.

The second goal I would assert for the IAS is cooperation. When I attended the first IAS GMM, what I perceived was a team united in their desire to create a better student organization. That image must be upheld at all times, at every event and by every executive board member. At a time when the IAS is still restructuring, it cannot be compromised by petty differences, malignant partiality or personal prejudices. The future of the IAS is what we make of it and we cannot afford to become the metaphorical “house-divided.”

Colonial Cadets is a unique program that has been the subject of both praise and scrutiny. With the sheer number of freshman who will be applying for the program next semester, it is obvious that some reform is needed in order to successfully incorporate the new cadets while keeping sophomore and older members invested in Model UN. With this in mind, it would be my goal to make Colonial Cadets an umbrella organization with an advanced and beginner unit. The advanced unit would consist of the majority of this year’s Cadets, along with incoming freshmen who have a substantial background in Model UN. There would be an application process similar to this year’s Cadets application. It will consist of approximately 30 members. The beginner group would also have an application process where applicants would demonstrate their interest in Model UN and how they will contribute to the team. This program would be competitive, but less-so than the advanced unit. There would be training twice a week run by several current Cadets in the beginner group, and several junior and senior delegates in the advanced group. Furthermore, there would be a mentorship program between the two groups along with monthly joint-sessions.

One more objective I would like to touch-on is in regards to the conference schedule. For many, unfortunately, McMUN was the last conference of the year. With an influx of students interested in Model UN, we need more large-delegation conferences—especially in the spring. UCBMUN, while having a very vibrant atmosphere and a great location, is not very competitive or well-run. West-Coast conferences abide by an entirely different format which not only prevents us from winning awards; it is counter-intuitive to our goals of training and progress. Furthermore, the sheer cost of sending only 8 delegates across the country is difficult to the IAS to bear. Instead, this funding should be put towards sending larger delegations to conferences such as HNMUN and ChoMUN. Giving everyone the chance to participate in at least one or two conferences should be made a key priority for any MUN Coordinator.

Lastly, and most importantly, safety is, and must remain, the complete and single most important factor with which the Model UN Coordinator is concerned. Should a team member get seriously hurt or put into a dangerous situation, I would resign immediately. The safety of GW delegates at any conference should never be compromised.

The IAS has had the greatest impact on my life at GW the last three years. As a rising senior I want to continue to give back to the organization that has given so much to me as the 2012-2013 Model UN Coordinator. The Model UN program is one of the most integral aspects of the IAS and acts as the face of the IAS to the world. What will make the Model UN team even better is a fostering a strong relationship between the upperclassmen and the incoming freshmen. I believe that creating a mentorship program between upperclassmen and the incoming class of 2016 can do just that. There can be more training available, more resources for rookies to use, and stronger team unity. Another important aspect to consider is that as we have more involved MUN delegates, we will need to attend another conference with a large delegation thus giving more delegates opportunities. If I become the next MUN Coordinator, I will promise that all new members will get to go to at least one conference, to give everyone a chance to participate. Allowing each person to participate is crucial to his or her involvement in the IAS.

To be an IAS eboard member requires a combination of dedication to the organization and shared vision with the collective eboard. It is imperative that not only are you dedicated to your own programming but also you are there to support others. Placing the IAS on a higher priority list is another important aspect as there many people who are involved in multiple activities as it does take a lot of time to create programing. Supporting others in their goals is essential for total success. The eboard is only as strong as its weakest member. Helping out other members both substantively and logistically is important. Ensuring the trust of one another is crucial to doing this. The eboard must trust each other member to support them, do their individual job, and work in the best interests of the organization. Without that trust, the system breaks down and an eboard cannot properly function. Finally it is important that eboard members have unofficial leadership with younger members to get them involved, calling to them to have lunch, to hang out, and to integrate into the organization.

Two goals that I would like the IAS to achieve as a whole this coming year are maintaining the same high level of recruitment and having a high retention rate with the class of 2015. At the end of the day the most important thing to the IAS, or any student group for that matter is having dedicated members who want to participate. For recruitment there are a few things that can be done. There should be a big name speaker one of the first few weeks and the freshmen committee should start the week after welcome week. A strong first few weeks of school is critical to showcasing the image of the IAS and showing that it is an organization that is desirable to get involved in. Having a high retention rate is also important. To do this you need to constantly engage former members in various events and provide them with some sort of means to express their creativity and passion for the organization. Allowing people to help out with events or provide assistant eboard positions is a good way to help balance the work from the eboard and still let people be involved.

For the position of Model UN Coordinator I have a few goals that I would like to accomplish. First, I want to create a mentorship program for the older class of colonial cadets for the newer cadets. How it would work would be to take some information from both the older cadets and the newer cadets and partner together different people from each class based on mutual interests and commonalities. The older cadets would set up meetings before each conference with the newer cadets to discuss strategy, help with position papers, and provide general advice on the conference. Also I would like to partner the two together at either NCSC or UPMUNC so the younger cadets can learn from the older through experience. To accommodate more active Model UN delegates from the GW team, I believe we should start increasing the number of delegates we bring to conferences. I would like to add Yale (SCSY) in the fall and bring 12 people, add 4 more people to go to UPMUNC, and go to the UCLA conference in the spring. This would allow more members to participate at conferences. The idea is to eventually bring another large Model UN team to a conference.

Another big goal of mine is to create another Model UN training program outside of Colonial Cadets. This would specifically geared towards first-time delegates, or those who have never done Model UN. They would meet once a week and would receive mentors, same as cadets. The rookies would focus more on basic understanding of Model UN as opposed to upper level skills. This allows more people to receive training without going too fast for some delegates or moving too slow for others. To ensure the two groups were integrated we would partner together both cadets and rookie committee members at the GW-GU mock conference and could conduct a mock conference of our own. This would allow the more experienced delegates provide advice for the less experienced. When applying to join either group, it wouldn’t be for one or the other but to join the team itself. It would be placed based on the skill set and experience of the delegates. They could be placed in either cadets or the rookie side.

Finally, I would do is guarantee that every new member of the Model UN team would get to go to at least one conference.

My name is Rosa Kim and I am running for the position of academic coordinator for the International Affairs Society. I am a freshman majoring in International Affairs in the Elliott school and I am a Korean international student that has lived in Taiwan for 14 years. I have participated in the International Affairs Society since the beginning of the year as a general member and as a Model UN participant. I have decided to run for the position of academic coordinator because I believe that it fits my personality the most. I am an international student that has never lived in the United States before so I believe that I will be able to bring in a different perspective to the organization. I also have experience in planning and programming events from my high school years as student council president. Aside from such factors, I have also decided to run for an executive board position to serve the organization that I was able to receive benefits from so much of my freshman year. I would like to serve the organization in such a way next year so that other members whether old or new can also have positive experiences as I have had.

I believe that to be an IAS Executive Board members means to be the glue that holds different students that are all interested in international affairs together, whether they be through academic or social methods. The International Affairs Society is a student-run organization that serves those students that have decided to pursue the path of international affairs and as a member of the executive board, one must act as the glue to hold different students of various backgrounds together. This means to be open-minded for different kinds of opinions ranging from all sides and to be determined to provide the best experience in international affairs for college students. While serving different interests, the member of the executive board must drive forward the Society’s major goal, which is to serve any and everyone that are interested in international affairs.

I would very much like the IAS to have more active general body members outside of the students that are active in Model UN conferences. While I completely agree that Model UN is a very important aspect of the IAS, it is still not the IAS itself as a whole. I think that the IAS can have certain programs that can accommodate more general body members and hold their interest towards the organization throughout the year so that the general body can become more diverse in different areas.

Another goal that I have for the IAS is to work on more vertical student participation. I would like to see more students of different years helping out and getting to know each other rather than students of the same year hanging out by themselves. There has indeed been some degree of vertical interaction but I would like to see more of that in the IAS so that the organization can be more cohesive in a sense and encourage somewhat like a family feel for the members to be more encouraged to participate in IAS events.

One goal I have for the upcoming year is to work on more student-active academic events. Most of this year’s events have been lecture-oriented in a way that the students could not partake directly in the events aside from asking questions. I would like to have events that are geared towards student discussions. One idea I have is to continue the past trend of having debates between GW and Georgetown students on various topics regarding international affairs. These debates will be less Model UN-oriented an more geared towards the general body members as a whole so that there can be more student participation in academic events. I would also like to have small periodic events that has a group of 20 or so students discussing and debating a certain international issue with a professor that is an expert on the topic so that it will create not only more participation but also more vertical interaction between different students of different age groups. By having smaller events that are geared towards student participation, I think that the interchanges between big lecture-oriented events and small said events will create more diversity in the academic programming.

Another goal as the academic coordinator I would like to accomplish is to have a theme per month that can help social, outreach, and academic programming. I think that it would be great for the three branches of programming in the IAS to complement each other so that the IAS can have more organized sets of programs for the general body members to participate in. This will also show the general body members exactly what kind of goal the IAS has set each month so that the members can clearly know what aspect of international affairs they will be able to learn from the organization.

My final goal for the position of academic coordinator is to have more events with our school’s professors. While it is indeed important to bring in important figures from prominent NGOs and multi-governmental organizations, I think that it is still important to introduce different professors to various students. Not only will this help students learn more about the different kinds of professors that are currently teaching in GW, but also help the professors provide more academic insights to the field of international affairs aside from practical insights.

My name is Ben Rimland, and I am enormously pleased to announce my candidacy for academic coordinator of the international affairs society. Though it will be difficult to rise to the impressive precedent set by our current academic coordinator, Gordon Gebert, I am confident that my experience, prior involvement and plans for the future will pave the way for new and exciting academic events in the 2012-2013 academic year and beyond. I look forward towards building upon events that we have had this year, and continuing to hold embassy visits as often as we can. However, I am hopeful that, in place of entirely lectures, a number of our events will include dialogues and debates between speakers and IAS members. What better way to learn about the topic of discussion through questioning and insightful debate? High profile events that we have held this year are a harbinger of the successes just peaking over the horizon. With your support, I look forward towards diversifying our academic event portfolio and further enriching the academic foundation of the IAS.

To me, the IAS executive board represents the leadership, both academic and literal, of the organization and the Elliott school as a whole. If IAS members represent those students in the Elliott school who are most involved and most dedicated towards fomenting their knowledge of international affairs, then it is the students of the IAS e-board who epitomize and embody this ideal. To be a member of the executive-board is to commit oneself to further engagement in international affairs, be a forceful and purposeful leader, and be open to the introduction of a wide variety of cultures, ideas and thoughts through academic events and debates. I am confident that my leadership experience as a high school head delegate has prepared me to be a leader on the IAS executive board for the coming academic year. The e-board is the rock of the IAS, the anchor that ties this organization together. I look forward to enriching connections among the IAS e-board to make the rock of this organization more stable and strong than ever before.

I am certainly not alone when I state that I am enormously pleased with the direction the IAS is moving in now, yet there is considerable work that we can do to foment this growth and development. I urge the society to be more inclusive and more egalitarian in the future by promoting a sense of parity among the different classes of students and abolishing the division between those students who have paid the money for P5 membership and those who are more “casual” members of the society. In my view, more variation in the styles of academic events that we sponsor is an excellent way to achieve this objective. Academic events, in conjunction with more social events, perhaps in close proximity to one another, will certainly go far in encouraging solidarity among IAS members and fomenting feelings of fellowship. Outside of increasing camaraderie within the IAS, I would hope to hold a number of events in tandem with both the College Democrats and College Republicans to discuss ways in which foreign policy and international affairs affect all three of our organizations, and how dialogue on these issues represent the only constructive way forward.

Perhaps one of the greatest frustrations brought about by the P5 membership is the inability for more “casual” members of the organization to interact with some of the speakers that we have featured. Instead, I would rather suggest that we implement a larger pre-reception as opposed to a smaller reception for P5 members alone. As P5 membership has not borne much fruit over the past months aside from small, awkward meetings with speakers, I look forward towards dismissing this class of membership and increasing involvement in academic pre-receptions. As I have stated previously, I also look to move away from lecture-style presentations and instead towards debates. To be frank, lectures typically fail to engage the majority of the audience, who are left to listen to a largely boilerplate and dumbed-down set of talking points. Questioning speakers, engaging in dialogue with professors and lecturers who are the foundations of our events represents the method most conducive to enriching ourselves with the bounties of our professors’ and speakers’ knowledge. These dialogue-based events, coupled with a more inclusive pre-reception, will undoubtedly pave the way forward for more productive and informative academic events. Furthermore, I look forward to holding events with the College Democrats and College Republicans in tandem, with both left and right-leaning professors as speakers. This sort of event would help increase awareness of the integral and crucial role played by foreign affairs and international relations in domestic politics. Finally, as stated previously, I look forward to working with the future social coordinator to create a firm link between academic and social events, so as to foster a spirit of camaraderie among IAS members and to further develop and enrich feelings of friendship among IAS participants. Tying these two positions more closely together would help reinforce the cornerstones of IAS membership outside of Model UN and more further develop the IAS into a robust, dynamic and tightly bound organization. Together, with these changes in place, I look forward to creating academic events that will keep the IAS moving inexorably forward to a successful future.

The International Affairs society is the largest student organization at The George Washington University, however many members feel like the IAS community is exclusive and do not feel welcome at events. As a freshman, I became very involved with the IAS and they became my family away from home. One way to encourage students to become more active in the IAS is by creating more social bonding events. While the former social coordinator has created various innovative events, many were cancelled due to lack of interest. Through the use of advertisement and social media, the IAS can host fun social events that boost student’s involvement and helps create the family that I call the IAS.

Being an IAS Executive Board member requires dedication, communication and honesty. Having many leadership positions in my past, I can assure you that the most functional Executive Board is the one where the members are dedicated and passionate about their positions. This extends even further to the relationship of the general body members. By having open communication and honestly voicing the concerns of each and every member, the IAS Executive Board will be able to represent and work for the better of the IAS community. As and IAS Executive Board Member, I will try my hardest to address the requests of each and every member, and I encourage all other Executive Members to do the same.

This previous year, many freshmen joined the IAS and have become dedicated members. While I look forward to meeting the newest IAS members from the class of 2016, it is important to promote and continue the interest of upperclassmen. Whether there are more people from various grades competing at Model United Nations or writing for the Globe, upperclassmen serve as mentors and role models for the incoming class. Another goal I have for the IAS is re-formatting and making the list-serve visually appealing, more students will read the contents, and will attend to more IAS events and meetings.

As social coordinator, I would like to create more fun and innovative events that will bring the IAS together. Many people believe that the IAS is an exclusive club, however by taking advantage of what Washington, DC and The George Washington University has to offer, the IAS can host welcoming events that all members can enjoy. My first goal as social coordinator is to increase IAS involvement. I would accomplish this goal by using social media and other forms of advertisement to promote social events. By using effective planning skills, more people will attend IAS events and will come to the conclusion that the International Affairs Society is not just an academic club, but also a social one. My second goal as social coordinator is to continue the previous traditions held by the IAS. In the past, retreat was something that bonded the IAS. However, with the lack of interest this previous year and conflicting schedules, the retreat is loosing interest and the event may not even be held. By planning the retreat at a more convenient time, IAS members of all grades will come together and create unity throughout the club. Next, the IAS has accomplished so many things just in this past year alone, and shouldn’t we be awarded by all of our hard work? By hosting parties, it will reward the hard work of the Model UN Team, WAMUNC staff and even the Globe Editors. These parties will not only act as rewards, but will also be incentives to motivate all of the hard work that goes into the IAS. Lastly, my favorite part of being an IAS member is being able to travel to new conferences and meet new college students. Washington, DC has many fabulous colleges and universities, and it would be fun to have mixers, speakers or even competitions to raise money for charities with other International Relations clubs at various different colleges. Already, I have many friends at both American and Georgetown. It would also be easy to contact these universities and invite them to our social events. As social coordinator, I have the experience and skills to host and plan these events. Next year, I look forward to making the IAS a fun place to learn and socialize!

My name is Mateo Forero, and I’m running for Social Coordinator. In my time at GW, I’ve been deeply involved with IAS. Last year I served as Outreach Coordinator, and with the help of a fantastic E-Board team, I was able to overhaul our organization’s philanthropy. We raised over $4000 for street children in Peru through diverse programming initiatives. Now, I want to give back to IAS by building on the successes of this year’s impressive social agenda.

First, I want to bring some innovation to our capstone Winter and Spring Formals. I’d like to use Winter Formal as an opportunity for our other programming officers to bring high-profile keynote speakers to campus. And I’d like to include an awards ceremony at Spring Formal, which would allow IAS to recognize its most dedicated and innovative members.

Second, I want to coordinate meaningful programming that engages our members while buttressing our academic and outreach initiatives. IAS can benefit immensely from social opportunities like a Welcome Week BBQ, outings supplementary to our semesterly retreats, and an IAS Club Night.

I am honored to be nominated, and I’m confident that my experience and teamwork skills will contribute to another fantastic year for IAS!

Being a member of the Executive Board entails two large responsibilities: 1) providing leadership on social programming, and 2) collaborating with the rest of the team in making all IAS initiatives a success.

From a leadership perspective, the Social Coordinator must be able to innovate, plan, and execute a variety of events that constitute a robust social agenda for IAS. I believe I have the ability to meet these expectations, particularly in coming up with new ways to attract and engage our members. The experience I gained from being a programming officer last year gave me the skills necessary to accomplish this goal.

Serving on E-Board however, also entails being part of a team. As a member of the organization’s leadership, the Social Coordinator must be able to work together with the other officers to make outreach and academic programming a success, as well as collaborate with the administrative issues of the IAS. Having served on E-Board last year, I’ve experienced this teamwork first-hand. Through networking and hard work, I was able to help our Social and Academic Coordinators create meaningful programming for the membership. If elected, I plan on bringing this same spirit of teamwork to my work ethic.

I see next year as an opportunity for IAS to continue growing, while still defining itself as the largest non-political organization at GW. In particular, I envision our organization becoming not only a medium by which members can participate in Model UN and academic events, but also as a source for creating meaningful and lasting friendships. From personal experience, I can speak to the fact that many of the people I’ve met through IAS have also become some of my closest friends. I want to emulate this experience for our newest members, while facilitating opportunities for our older members to stay involved. This is why I believe the position of Social Coordinator is so crucial to our longevity and success. To that end, I am committed to providing our members diverse social programming whilst making myself available to new ideas and criticism. In this way, I hope my contributions will become the ‘glue’ holding our members and organizational mission together.

I have several programming-specific goals for the position of Social Coordinator. I’d like to outline them. They fall into three main categories: 1) membership recruitment, 2) organizational fellowship, and 3) capstone social programming.

One of the most important aspects of IAS programming is creating events that attract and retain new members. This starts with a robust set of social events during Welcome Week – including a monuments tour, an outing to a typical DC eatery (like Ben’s Chili Bowl), and a BBQ on Kogan Plaza. The intention behind these events will be to connect new members with upperclassmen in a relaxed setting. But these efforts won’t end with Welcome Week. I plan on hosting an IAS Club Night at a prominent nightlife spot like Ultrabar or Eden Nightclub, as well as holding a Saturday picnic outing on the National Mall.

As important as recruitment is, maintaining a healthy and cordial membership is also one of my goals for the position. The IAS has long observed the tradition of holding semesterly retreats as a way to foster member relations outside of the academic sphere. I plan on continuing this tradition by holding an organization-wide retreat in October, and helping the Secretary-General of WAMUNC in planning a spring retreat for conference staff. Beyond these events, however, I also want to create opportunities for our members to socialize. Whether it’s organizing dinner outings around the city, going on day trips to many of the historic sites close to DC, or making new traditions like laser tag or a fishing trip, I am committed to enhancing the fellowship opportunities that our organization can provide.

Finally, I want to continue building on the successes of our capstone social programming. In particular, I’d like to use Winter Formal as not only a social event, but also an opportunity to highlight IAS’s philanthropy for the given year. This will entail working with the Academic and Outreach Coordinators in finding high-profile keynote speakers for the event, as well as finding a great venue for the evening. Likewise, I plan on making Spring Formal a showcase of IAS’s successes for the year. By adding an awards ceremony to this event, I hope to recognize the efforts and innovation of our members. We owe our success and longevity to the bright students at GW who make up the IAS, and Spring Formal would be a great time to acknowledge that.

My name is Ross Rattanasena, I’m currently a freshman majoring in International Affairs at the ESIA originally from Orlando Florida. Let me contextualize this: my priorities are as follows- School, Internship, and the IAS. Of all the organizations I’m part of, I’ve been committed to attending IAS events and I’ve truly grown to love the organization and I believe that it would be in my capacity as social coordinator to help make the IAS better. More importantly, I have the willingness to devote my time towards creating events whose sole purpose is to build more impersonal and intimate relationships between the membership. A few of my goals are cutting down the general cost of outings by planning more ‘homey’ or campus centric events and expanding the responsibilities of a social coordinator to a committee that would work to provide ideas and delegate responsibility on social events. I have the capacity to balance my responsibilities efficiently and serve the IAS in a professional manner. My responsibilities to the other organizations on campus, such as the SA, only highlight what I’m capable of and the work ethic I’m willing to commit. Passion, creativity, and devotion are the hallmarks of my candidacy.

An IAS E-board member has two roles to play. An e-board member must be able to act in a professional manner, someone who can constructively criticize the choices of other members, whose goal above all else is the betterment of the IAS, and be able to work together as a functional team. On the flip side, the IAS e-board member must also be someone who loves the organization, who is willing to be friends with the other e-board members, act as mentors to young and upcoming members, and be willing to devote time and energy beyond their formal responsibilities to the membership of the IAS. That is what I think it means when I think of what it means to a IAS E-board member, ideally. The e-board must be coworkers AND friends to ensure the greatest amount of productivity but with their responsibilities as a professional coming first. An e-board member must be a leader, to the other e-board members and the general membership, a follower, knowing when to yield and when due support is needed, and most importantly, an e-board member must be a team player. Being an e-board member is really about balance, professionalism and working together.

My first goal, in general, for the IAS would be increasing the retention rate of regularly active IAS students. We’re one of the largest organizations on campus yet the amount of active versus inactive members (as seen by GBM) has a wide divide. It’s all about creating a larger sense of family among the IAS, a larger family, and for it be more than an organization they put on their resume or occasionally get emails from. Increasing the activeness of upperclassmen who have become disillusioned and keeping the eager upcoming freshman consistently eager throughout their college career are definitive aspects of my first goal.

My second goal relates loosely to my first goal and falls under the purvey of the MUN coordinator, but I see it as a greater responsibility to the e-board and organization as a whole. Restructuring the Colonial Cadets in such a way to retain its sense of exclusivity but also becoming more inclusive. I propose creating three tiers for the Colonial Cadets program: Advanced/Veterans, Intermediate/Training, Beginner/Casual. The application process would be different for each of them and would give students an option of how much responsibility they want or intend to give to MUN.

My first goal as social coordinator is to create a ‘Social Committee’; it would be an open ended committee to all those interested in creating or planning social events. It would act as a forum for creativity, allowing ideas that I alone as a social coordinator would have otherwise not been able to come up with myself. It would also help me address what sort of events specific groups of students may or may not like. Maybe male students feel that the cupcake party isn’t something they are particularly into, or a museum trip isn’t appealing to upperclassmen, and it would help me by bringing in more balanced and diverse ideas for social events. The next role of this committee is delegating responsibility to ensure efficiency and less stress on the e-board. Instead of one singular person calling the retreat housing or trying to keep up with booking by themselves, that task could be delegated to members of this committee. Or they could be assigned to get in contact with certain people, schools, or places to gauge a broader sense of what is available to us. I think this would help in lessening the burden on the social coordinator while also helping make the organization more inclusive in the event planning process.

My second, but not last, goal as social coordinator is reducing the amount of costs of the members towards social events. Dinner outings are great, but I personally cannot continuously afford dinner outings and a lot of members wouldn’t do it unless it was paid for. I propose a more homely and intimate alternative- rotating dinner parties/potlucks between e-board members, older members, or any voluntary members of the IAS. Not only would it provide an opportunity for free food, the cost of producing the food can be diffused, it would be local so it would cut down transportation costs and it gives more opportunity for members to interact with each other and the e-board. It’s not limited to potlucks, other events include volleyball tournaments/outings or other sporting events that we could arrange within the organization or against a rival school like Georgetown’ IAS/MUN equivalent. Also, since most members join for its academic focus, I can see future events where both the academic and social coordinator work together. Pre or post party gatherings or receptions in tandem to academic events would cut down on costs and encourage shared responsibility.

Hey guys,

My name’s Simarmeet Singh and I’m running to be your social coordinator. Ethnically Indian, I was born in Kuwait and spent 16 years there before moving to India for 2 and then coming to GW. As a result, probably the most important thing I’ve picked up on is that everyone’s tastes are different…. Some people would prefer social events like kayaking the Potomac or hiking the Appalachian, others a club night out, and others still, a movie night…

As an assistant planner for my fraternities social events, as well as event planner on student council for 2500-3000 kids in my first high-school, 1000 kids in my second high-school, chairman junior, senior years of my school’s community service program and a number of other organizations, I believe I have the experience, planning and coordination skills to ensure that the IAS is more than just a place people go to when there’s an ambassador in town…

At the end of the day it’s about the people you meet, the memories you make and the fun you’ve had that builds relationships, you won’t get to know someone just by showing up to an event that another three hundred people did.

~Simar

Being an E-Board member of your average everyday organization is a lot of responsibility, being an IAS E-Board member requires so much more. As the E-Board of the largest non-partisan organization on campus, each E-Board member not only has an enormous amount of responsibility, but also requirement, to ensure the continued success as well as the ever-increasing achievements of the IAS.

Being on E-Board means being a leader, and being a leader means doing your level best, and oftentimes more than what is required of you in your job description. If another member of E-Board has a family emergency or has an exam at the same time as an event and as such temporarily cannot fulfill their role to the best of their ability, it is up to you as an E-Board member along with the rest of the E-Board to cover for them. Leadership is a very liquid concept and at the end of the day any event reflects on the IAS as a whole as an event is e.g. the ‘IAS Water Charity’ and not the ‘John Doe Water Charity’, so E-Board members should have the dedication and flexibility to be able to meet problems/crisis’ head on.

One goal is to see a lot more of a diversification in membership as the organization continues to grow. Currently most members of the IAS hail from Elliot or are PoliSci majors in Columbian. Why can’t we have more engineering, medical, business or journalist students to name but a few other majors? Isn’t the news that a massive Chinese factory has opened up in Africa, or the fact that we may end up with a Republican president, an issue that will have a significant impact both politically and economically? Not to mention that we wouldn’t even be aware of any information had it not been reported by journalists…. so I believe that the IAS needs to really broaden its member base across the university community in order to further enrich the experience of its members

Another goal is to broaden the scope of events offered. We’ve had a number of embassy visits along with a number of influential and prominent speakers, however I would like to see more trips to think tanks, museums, academic institutions, maybe even to Capitol Hill to provide a more well-rounded experience, and these are just a few ideas that I have for the IAS.

One of the more position-specific goals that I have for the organization is to broaden the scope and size of social events. I spent most of my life growing up in the Middle East, followed by a couple of years in Asia before coming to GW for college, and the one thing I’ve learnt from my experiences with interacting with people from different races, ethnicities, cultures, and nationalities is that quite simply not everybody enjoys the same thing.

Aside from the usual retreat and the upcoming formal, I’ve noticed that most social events tend to usually be formal events in the evening, and whilst this certainly draws members, I feel that there are a number of other events that I would like to add to the calendar if I am elected social coordinator in order to cater to everyone’s tastes. For example, I know that a lot of people (including me) would love to just have a day out on the national mall, throwing around a football and just relaxing in general, others would like a day of kayaking on the Potomac, others still would enjoy a club night or going out for a movie, so as social coordinator I would aim for a more diverse and larger number of events in order to build and strengthen relationships between members of the organization.

As far as another of my goals for social coordinator goes, I’ve heard from a number of seniors that they ‘missed the days when people used to come to the IAS for its social events’, and this is something I would like to accomplish during my tenure if I’m so elected. The way I would go about doing this is by building up relationships with other student organizations. I’ve heard from a number of people not in the IAS that they view it as its own group, i.e. that members of the IAS keep to themselves and have their own events etc. I would work to change this impression, as this is certainly not the way that I feel people are in the IAS, we aren’t isolationist and neither are we exclusive, and by having social events with other groups, or co-sponsoring social events, we are guaranteed to draw a much larger and much more diverse crowd, and if the events are well run we could even be looking at more members being added to the IAS.

My name is Blake Goodman, and I am running for IAS Social Coordinator for coming academic year. At the first GMM of the year, we all saw the filled rooms of newly registered IAS members. Now here at the end, we look at our severely reduced membership, which in reality consists mostly of GW Model UN team members, as well as some other diehard members. Other members only appear at our more prominent academic events. Member retention is, then, where the social coordinator’s job really lays. If elected social coordinator, I will pursue a two-part plan to keep yearlong membership strong. The opening weeks of school are when we gain and lose most of our members. Because of this, I will focus on creating early social events to hold new members’ interests until our first academic events. In addition, I will be focusing on creating more numerous, smaller events between the academic events to keep members interested throughout the year. If elected, I will put 100% of myself towards this position, and towards this organization. The decline in membership must be resolved to ensure the continued success of the IAS. Together, let’s help make GW’s largest-non-partisan student group great again!

To be an IAS Executive Board member means that you are committed to the organization. For me, this commitment transcends the limits of the office that I would occupy. My commitment to the organization means that I would be a support for my fellow officers, as well as for my fellow members. But more than this, my commitment to the organization means that I would always be acting in the best interests of the organization as a whole. It is my opinion that partisan politics should not find themselves within the IAS Board, and therefore I feel that as an Executive Board member, it is my responsibility to attempt to find a compromise between my fellow Board members. However, it is also my responsibility to stand my ground on issues that I find to be important. Following these ideals, my actions would not be to benefit myself, but to benefit the organization as a whole. That, to me, should be the goal of the IAS Executive Board, and that is what it means to me to be an IAS Executive Board member.

My two goals for the IAS as a whole for this coming year are to increase the member retention rate and to the number of IAS events, both academic and social, throughout the year. It is easily seen that early in the year, the IAS’s newly refreshed membership quickly drops off, diminishing to little more than the diehard IAS members and the Model UN team. This has to be changed. We tout ourselves as the largest-non-partisan student group on campus, but when we are at our GMMs, where are the members? We need to have a more extensive series of events during the opening weeks of the academic year in order to hold on to the new members that we gain following the summer. In addition to this, I feel it important that the IAS increase its number of academic and social events throughout the year. Members often only come to the large academic speakers, with only the very core of the membership attending anything else. Our large events must be more numerous and better publicized, as well as interspersed with our smaller academic and social events, so as to hold on to our members, and maybe gain more, year-round.

It is my opinion that membership retention should be the primary focus of next year’s social coordinator. Unfortunately, because of a lack of strong programs early on, many paying members no longer come to IAS events, save for the larger academic ones. In order to increase member retention, I would work with the rest of the Executive Board to revamp IAS welcome week. IAS welcome week would be much more publicized, with many more events than that of this year. Regardless of the size of these events, the incorporation of the new members with the old membership will help keep the new members in the fold long enough for them to reach the first few large academic events. In addition to this, I would like to increase the number of smaller events that we have throughout the year, especially those that could be planned in combination with the academic coordinator. For example, there was much talk of going to local cinemas playing international affairs related documentaries this year. Unfortunately, this never materialized. For next year, I believe that outings such as these, planned in combination with a social outing before or afterwards, such as a group dinner, will help to hold on to members, as well as cementing new series of events for years to come. Finally, one of my largest pet peeves for this year’s IAS social events was the sheer number that was held in dorm rooms. I would make it my business to plan many more social events in official event spaces of some sort, either on or off campus. I believe that to bring members to dorm rooms undermines the legitimacy of the organization, and that bringing them to event spaces would definitely help bring IAS back to the standard of quality it should be at.

My name is Avani Singh and I am a freshman in the Elliott School. The IAS has been an integral part of my first year at GW, as I have participated in a multitude of IAS initiatives. As a member of the Model UN program, I have had the opportunity to travel to various schools and compete with other IAS members, fostering a sense of unity. Furthermore, I have taken part in WAMUNC and served as Chief Administrator on Secretariat. It was a great experience in which I learned about the dedication IAS members give to this organization. I have also been grateful to have taken part in a number of the social events coordinated by the IAS. Whether having a barbeque in Kogan or attending the Winter Gala, the IAS has been a part of my life in countless ways. I’d like to take this opportunity to give back to the organization that has given so much to me. Outreach in a volunteering sense has always been important to me (it’s the Girl Scout upbringing). It would be a really meaningful experience to be able to combine my passion for volunteerism and outreach with my passion for the IAS.

Being a member of the IAS E-Board means being ready to dedicate time and effort in the interest of bettering your organization. Completing tasks may take shorter or longer than initially expected and members need to be willing to carry out projects until they are finished. Furthermore, being a member of the E-Board means being creative and flexible when planning events or initiatives. A budget constraint may force you to think outside of the box or a logistical constraint may force you to be flexible and accommodating. Regardless of the barrier, these traits are key in any IAS member. Additionally, IAS members need to be willing to open a dialogue between all members in order to take constructive criticism in order to make initiatives as successful as possible while bettering the organization as whole. Lastly, IAS E-Board members must take ownership over their duties and complete them to the best of their abilities, but must also be willing to support all other E-Board members on their endeavors as well.

I would like to see the International Affairs Society open up the Colonial Cadets program to allow all interested students to participate. As a cadet, I grew so much from my first training session and I would love to see that opportunity given to as many freshmen as possible. As the program is still young, I’d like to see past Cadets and Model UN members coordinate training sessions and mock debates. A mentor program could be implemented within the Cadet program to allow students that are new to the concept of Model UN to become better acquainted with the program.

Furthermore, I would like to see the International Affairs Society expand its GWUPIE program. As a participant in the GWUPIE training program, I’d like to see greater emphasis on IAS members going to various schools. It would be great if we could reach out to those schools that participate in WAMUNC and are from the DC area that need training in their classrooms.

I’d like to see the International Affairs Society engage in more volunteer work with the local DC community. The role of the Outreach Coordinator is to pick a charity that the International Affairs Society will support for the following academic year. While this year’s choice of Water Charity was great, I’d like to pick an international organization that also has volunteer opportunities in the local area. This will help IAS members see where their fundraising efforts are going. This way, IAS members can be directly contributing to our charity organization. Furthermore, volunteerism can foster a sense of community within the IAS community. I’d like to see more volunteer events related to International Affairs being held. These can be local events just on the GW campus or events sponsored by NGOs in the DC area. The events would have some connection to international affairs that would be beneficial for IAS members.

Fundraising initiatives are especially important for the Outreach Coordinator to consider. It would be important to be creative when developing a fundraising strategy. By integrating fundraising initiatives with IAS events, we will be able to best support our charity. Events that worked really well this year were selling flowers at WAMUNC and raffles to raise money for our charity. These approaches should be expanded and would be very helpful to the charity of our choice.

Another role of the Outreach Coordinator is to create co-sponsorships with other student organizations. I would like to see the IAS hold events with other organizations that address specific issues of those organizations. For example, it would be great if the IAS sponsored an event about International Human rights along with another student organization such as Babies Behind Bars and brought in a speaker. This would help the IAS reach even more members and would potentially increase its membership. The challenge with this goal is to find organizations and events that the IAS is able to support. As a nonpartisan organization, the IAS needs to build ties with other nonpartisan organizations. This can be challenging, but if done correctly, can build a bigger membership base for the IAS.

The IAS has been an invaluable part of my freshman experience at GW. I have sought to immerse myself in all possible opportunities for involvement with the IAS and believe I have proven to be a dedicated and capable member, ready with the creativity and responsibility to contribute directly to the IAS’s future growth as Outreach Coordinator. As a leading member of the GWUPIE program, a Cadet, and as a member of the Freshman Committee, I have found a sense of community within the IAS that I will uphold by honoring inclusivity and cooperation in Outreach programming. One aspect of the IAS I have found to be inspiring is the capability to network and the potential to reach into the depths of DC political and professional life. As Outreach Coordinator, I will seek to develop further opportunities of this sort, partnering with non-profits and charities in the DC area with whom we can form lasting relationships from which IAS members can learn and gain hands-on experience. I want to increase the IAS’s presence and relevance in the GW and DC communities as a well-respected organization, worthy of partnership and as having members eager to learn from and support DC non-profits.

An IAS Executive Board Member has the primary responsibility of working efficiently, responsibly, and cohesively with the other board members, on behalf of and with the best interests and desires of the membership in mind. Each cog in the system must uphold the organization of the International Affairs Society for the purpose of projecting an image of success, harmony, and healthy discourse. In general, the best interests of the organization are upheld by cooperation in event planning, professional and clear communication with the administration, and recognition of the need for improvement. In my experience on previous Executive Boards, I have discovered that the most valued leadership qualities of any board member included patience, responsibility and attention to completing his or her own task, and the ability to depend on and be depended on by other members of the board for the purpose of working as a team. Lastly, I value highly the concept of loyalty and absolute dedication to one’s organization. Working with these qualities enables a Board Member to complete difficult, frustrating, or time consuming tasks with care and cognizance that the task is essential to the smooth and democratic leadership of the organization.

I consider myself lucky to have benefitted from a very strong year this year in the IAS, including a greatly successful Model UN program, the growth of GWUPIE, great academic planning, and the establishment of Colonial Cadets and the Freshman Committee, all of which served to help me incorporate myself closely into the organization. Most importantly, I hope the IAS will expand within each realm and operate cohesively, with more direct involvement of all members in contributing ideas and discussing decisions. I intend to encourage that each Executive Board position work with non-elected members officially to be inclusive and improve programming. With anticipated growth in membership and a rising class of dedicated members, we must maintain that loyalty by allowing more people the chance to participate, thus also expanding the wealth of programming possibilities. Secondly, I hope that the IAS will seek to expand upon its relevance, becoming notable in not just the GW community, but the DC community as well, for its spectacular opportunities in academics, networking capabilities, respected stature, and camaraderie. Increasing partnerships in the realm of GW and DC will provide for better publicity as well as connections and opportunities for members.

I intend to expand greatly the scope of the International Affairs Society Outreach Program beyond simply fundraising. Outreach, in its essence, can function in a multitude of ways. We just finished a successful year of programming for Water Charity and were able to send them support of which we should be proud, but this coming year, I hope that Outreach will undertake more while still pursuing our philanthropy work. The role of Outreach Coordinator, as I see it, is to spread the name of the International Affairs Society in forging connections with other GW organizations, as well as professional, political, and philanthropic communities in DC.

Ideally, the next year would include a primary partnership with a charity in Washington, D.C., whom we support through philanthropy, but also through our own membership capital. I hope to encourage the performance of direct service and hands-on time spent with the organization, thus we may serve them as we learn about charitable operation in DC and the functions of a non-profit. Our members would greatly benefit from the learning and networking experience, while in turn the International Affairs Society’s esteem would spread through new relationships to supplement and glorify our already terrific programming. With the incorporation of a small outreach brainstorming committee, we can network with more than simply our primary charity, providing further connections for events and building mutually beneficial friendships to last.

Already I anticipate working to expand the GWU Program for International Education, or GWUPIE, a program near to my heart that I feel has been very underrated following an extraordinarily successful year. This expansion will include adding more schools to the program, mock conferences, and more opportunities for mentors, as well as partnering, specifically, with the European Union Delegation in their program for high school international policy mentorship and their annual EuroChallenge. The State Department hosts similar programming for high school programs and I hope to be able to contribute to this process next year.

In addition to smaller projects such as fundraising with restaurant nights, parties, and events conjoined with the Social and Academic coordinators and the Freshman Committee, I think that the members of the IAS would greatly benefit from an ongoing effort for microfinance and the GW microfinance groups. This is a way to directly see the fruits of our service and connect with international workers, nonprofits, and borrowers, encapsulating a large part of the IAS mission.