February 29, 2012
Aspiring leaders in global communications took an inside look at
the UN on February 10 when they attended the United Nations
Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA)
Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference.
The 15 students, enrolled in the Master of Science Degree
Program in
International Communication, attended the day-long event as
part of UNA-USA’s Member’s Day. The degree is offered through the
College of Professional Studies (CPS).
The conference, now in its fourth year, featured notable
speakers such as Jeffrey
Sachs, Ph.D., Quetelet Professor of Sustainable
Development and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia
University, who delivered the morning keynote. “There
isn’t an alternative to the UN — either this works or the world
fails,” Dr. Sachs said in his address. “For the young people here,
this is really important.”
“It was an honor to have the opportunity to sit in the UN
General Assembly Hall with scholars, policy makers and activists,”
said Michelle A. Centeno ’14MS, who was among the St. John’s
students at the event. “The conference was truly inspiring and
offered direct insight into my graduate studies,” added Janice
Shaman ’13MS.
Congresswoman Nita
Lowey (D-NY) gave the afternoon’s keynote and stressed
the importance of United States membership in the UN. “I truly
believe that membership makes our country more secure, more
prosperous and it supports our efforts to advance democracy, human
rights, health and development throughout the world,” she said.
Other presenters discussed the critical role UN Security Council
plays in advancing American foreign policy, the evolution of
peacekeeping and the emergence of sustainable development
goals.
Basilio Monteiro, Ph.D., Associate
Professor and Chair, Communications, Journalism and Media
Studies, accompanied students to the conference and was confident
that they benefited from the experience. “It is good for our
students to be exposed to such a high-level global conference,”
said Dr. Monteiro. “It gives them the opportunity to understand the
depth, breadth and complexity of the issues we discuss in our
classes. It also helps our students to network and establish
personal and professional contacts.”