Participation Increases in Popular Student Program

Washington, D.C.: The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (“National Council”) Annual 10-week University Student Internship and Summer Scholars Program began on May 26, 2020. Keynoting the inaugural session – and serving as the lead lecturer and resource specialist for the duration of the program – was Dr. John Duke Anthony, the National Council’s Founding President and CEO. Dr. Anthony provided background, context, and perspective regarding the Council’s vision and educational mission together with its achievements over the course of the Council’s 37-year history. This year, 31 students – a record high number – are participating in the summer youth leadership development program from academic institutions around the globe.

The National Council’s 2020 Summer Intern and Scholars Program is being administered entirely online. The rigorous, digitally-driven program and agenda provide a range of rich and exhilarating opportunities for participants.

A core component of the summer’s twice-weekly academic seminars has the participants interacting with Dr. Anthony and National Council staff together with an array of internationally-renowned scholars on the Arab region, the Middle East, and the Islamic world. With a particular focus on Arabia and the Gulf, the seminars examine the region’s governments and politics in addition to its people’s respective needs, concerns, and continuing quests for modernization and development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The seminars are also designed to enable the students to hone their analytical, writing, and public speaking skills that will serve them in whatever paths their future careers might take. In advance of each seminar session, the students read, critique, and respond to assigned publications written by specialists with first-hand experience in the region.

The National Council’s 2020 Summer Internship Program is being administered entirely online. The program provides the participants virtual visits to institutions of the Executive and Legislative branches of government, national security policymaking, diplomacy, and international business. Combined with the two-and-a-half month long academic seminars and the opportunities to improve their communications and critical thinking skills, the web-based program enables the interns and summer scholars to have a rich and varied educational experience in the nation’s capital.

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Summer Internship and Scholars Program provides a fertile training ground and an invaluable experience for young leaders interested in careers devoted to bridging divides and enhancing the U.S.-Arab relationship.

Among the program’s numerous highlights is the students’ participation in an intensive two-day digital leadership development conference like no other, the National Council’s Model Arab League, which to date has more than 50,000 alumni. The experience provides the participants an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to speak, write, and edit quickly, clearly, and effectively, in addition to practicing parliamentary procedure and drafting resolutions, while also learning how to represent in character a real life Arab diplomat tasked with representing their country in competition with other diplomats.

About the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations: Founded in 1983 and based in Washington, D.C., the National Council is an American non-profit, non-governmental, educational organization. The Council pursues its educational mission through nine programs, projects, events, and activities. Each is dedicated to enhancing American awareness and appreciation of the extraordinary benefits that the United States has long derived from its special relationships with countries in the Arab region – and vice versa.

At the center of the National Council’s efforts to advance American knowledge and understanding of Arab culture, societal dynamics, and systems of governance are the Council’s flagship education, training, and leadership development programs. These are designed to elevate the leadership skills and empirical Arab-centric educational experiences of the emerging generation of young Americans and Arabs. Upon their shoulders will rest the responsibility for ensuring that the relationships between the American and Arab peoples are continuously strengthened, improved, and sustained far into the future.

Information about the Council can be found at ncusar.org.

Due to concerns about COVID-19, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations physical office is temporarily closed. The Council is still operating virtually, and can be reached by its same phone and email contact coordinates. The remaining Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League conferences for the 2019-2020 Academic Year, including the National University and National High School programs, have been canceled.

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations Founding President & CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony writes to students about what is possible through the National Council’s flagship student-focused initiative, the Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League. Please share with any students who might be interested in or benefit from this program.

Fall is upon us. September is back-to-school time. You and countless millions of other students are hitting the books.

What Do You Want to Do?

What are you seeking to achieve this academic year?

Do you envision yourself as a leader? What kind? Diplomat? Policymaker? Opinion formulator? Teacher? Military officer? Entrepreneur?

Whatever your answer, do you possess the necessary and essential skills that are characteristic of great leaders?

For instance, can you:

1. Debate within 45 seconds;
2. Speak clearly, rapidly, and effectively;
3. Write clearly, rapidly, and effectively;
4. Edit clearly, rapidly, and effectively;
5. Deploy parliamentary procedure;
6. Organize a coalition;
7. Draft public policy resolutions;
8. Cultivate respect among your peers; and
9. Empathize with others’ needs, interests, and concerns?

This academic year, if you can manage to master only one of these vital leadership skills, you will never be the same as before. Imagine what you might be able to accomplish if you can learn to employ all nine!

Students utilize parliamentary procedure during Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League sessions. Understanding and utilizing basic rules of meetings helps to train future leaders how to consider viewpoints and make decisions in a fair, consistent, and effective manner.

At the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, cultivating these skills in students has long been our focus. In no way are we new at this – educating and training the leaders of tomorrow is something we have done for decades.

The diamond in the National Council’s tiara, so to speak, is its Youth Leadership Development Program / Model Arab League (YLDP/MAL). Like nothing else, the program prepares students to be knowledgeable, well-trained, and effective citizens as well as civic, private sector, and public affairs leaders.

Continue reading »