Erik Leiden, the Collegiate Council on World Affairs President and a fourth year political science major, had an amazing summer traveling the world and gaining invaluable experiences teaching Model UN and learning about campaign management.

Global Classrooms International Model UN (GCIMUN)

In May, Erik traveled to the UN headquarters the Global Classrooms International Model UN Conference where he staffed the UN Environmental Program Committee full of students from six continents including grades 6-12. This conference is staffed by conference organizers from all over the United States, England, and Mexico. Erik worked alongside students from other Big Ten universities.

Campaign Management School

Erik attended the Campaign Management School at the Leadership Institute in Clarendon, Virginia. During this time, Erik sat beside state office candidates and campaign managers to hear from different campaign consultants and veterans about campaign strategies and resources. Speakers included election monitors who have worked in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Afghanistan, Ron Paul’s campaign manager, and political consultants from all over the country.

Best Delegate Diplomacy Fellowship

This summer Erik served as a Best Delegate Diplomacy Fellow. He was hired to teach Model UN to high school and middle school students around the country. Erik worked at Georgetown, University of Illinois, University of California, Berkley, and UCLA. Erik taught modules on the United Nations, international Model UN procedures, public speaking, and world affairs. 

WFUNA International Model United Nations Conference (WIMUN)

Erik was selected to serve as the Under-Secretary General for communication and public information at the inaugural WIMUN conference held in Rome, Italy in July. Erik was responsible for coordinating internal conference communications, managing media coverage of the event, and preconference delegate education. The conference was held in the Food and Agriculture Organization, a Rome based UN Agency. Keynote speakers included the former Foreign Minister of Italy, senior UN officials and ambassadors, and the Secretary General of WFUNA. The conference hosted 300 delegates from over 50 countries including Sudan, Nigeria, Georgia, Peru, Nepal, and Slovenia. CCWA Vice President Caitlyn Homol also was selected to serve as Vice Chair of the Gender Equality General Assembly Committee.

“It was an incredible experience to be a part of the leadership of the first ever WIMUN conference and to see engaged youth from all over the world to come together and reach consensus on some of the most pressing issues facing the international community. One of the many exciting opportunities we had was a welcome reception at the Italian Olympic Headquarters with VIPs from Rome based UN agencies and international NGOs. Also, the food and culture of Rome were wonderful making it a memory I won’t forget.”

At the end of the month, Erik will be traveling to UN headquarters in New York City along with Max Mauerman, another political science major and CCWA Marketing Director. They were selected to serve as members of the eight person youth media team with other bloggers from Tajikistan, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom providing coverage for the annual UN DPI/NGO Conference, which is the largest UN outreach event of the year.