From left to right: TU-BCPS Model UN Program Manager Michele Calderon, Honors Faculty Director Dr. Alison McCartney, APSA President-elect John Ishiyama, TU Honors student Madeleine Meyer, and TU alumnus Connor Cameron at the organization’s annual meeting in Seattle, Washington.
Honors College Faculty Director and professor of political science, Dr. Alison Rios Millett McCartney, and Honors College senior, Madeleine Meyer, presented their work at the American Political Science Association annual meeting and exhibition in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1903, the American Political Science Association (APSA) is the leading professional organization for the study of political science and serves more than 11,000 members in more than 100 countries. This year’s theme was “Promoting Pluralism,” and the TU pair presented their work titled “Converting a Large Service-Learning Event to an Online Format During Covid: Surviving and Thriving” Their research looked at the TU-Baltimore County Public School Model UN program and how the initiative was transitioned to an online format this past year due to the pandemic. Madeleine’s side of the project was also selected for a TU Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry Summer Research Grant award which included a $5000 research stipend. The team also recently presented their work at the European Consortium on Political Research annual conference virtually in early September.
Dr. McCartney and Madeleine shared their experience with the project and at ASPA with us below.
1. Tell us a bit more about the project. What did you look at and what were some of the key findings?
AM: Whereas the Model UN type of event is decades old, the TU-BCPS Model UN was founded in 2002 as a partnership of equity and opportunity wherein no BCPS or TU student would be excluded from participation because of their personal or economic circumstances. Other types of Model UN conferences cost participants thousands of dollars, but our version is free thanks to support from TU and BCPS. Each year, it includes about 300 high school students from 21 schools across 3 counties and dozens of TU students and alumni who work together to expand their global learning, civic engagement, key skills for their futures, and, for the high schoolers, college readiness. Our 2020 conference was held the weekend before the shutdown, and we had had such success — especially with students from underserved populations–that we didn’t want to pause. So, we adapted every part of the conference and the November Training Day to an accessible and engaging online format. This process was challenging in many ways, particularly when one considers that Zoom was not as versatile as it is now when we started the planning. But we were strongly committed to continuing to provide this important learning and development resource for students, as those who needed it the most had no other opportunities during the pandemic. Indeed, the participants really enjoyed the experience, and the success of the conference has emboldened us to continue, whether we are in person or online, as we hit our 20th year. One great story was a team representing Vanuatu from Western High who won several awards and showed that you don’t have to be one of the big, powerful countries to have a huge impact on the development of international policies and programs. Another story was a student from Milford Mill High who had repeated trouble with his internet connection due to his location; yet, he persisted and won an award for public speaking.
2. Was there anything that surprised you in the findings?
AM: One of the things that surprised me was how many high school participants reported high levels of learning and development of leadership skills from the conference. More than 87% of students reported that Model UN helped them develop research skills and 81% indicated that they developed leadership skills. These are great percentages, especially considering that students gained these skills while participating fully online!
3. Now that you have this data, do you plan to adapt parts of the program to continue in an online fashion in the future?
AM: Yes! Another surprising aspect was the high amount of high school participants, TU students, and TU alumni who found the new online pre-conference training nights, created and run by Maddie and alumni Connor Cameron, as so useful. That’s an innovation that we are keeping!
4. What was it like to present your project on a national stage?
MM: I was initially nervous about presenting on a national stage and to an audience of academics and scholars who have completed significant research on service-learning programs and clubs for years. Given that I’m only an undergraduate student, I wasn’t sure that my research and its application wouldn’t be advanced enough to generate interest among our panel’s attendees. However, everyone who I encountered was extremely kind and supportive of the work I’ve done alongside Dr. McCartney and I received many congratulations for completing undergraduate research and attending APSA. I really enjoyed my experience not only presenting my work, but also seeing other academics present their research and having the ability to network and discuss their findings!
5. What advice do you have for other TU Honors students looking to get started with a research project?
AM: Come to the Undergraduate Research Club meetings to learn how to get involved and develop a project, and be open to opportunity!
MM: Be open to opportunity! You never know where your passions may lie, so take advantage of learning opportunities the Honors College and your professors may offer to you. Also, don’t be afraid to network and express your interests with professors and other students. They may be able to open doors for you that you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to open.
6. Final thoughts from Dr. McCartney.
AM: I am so very proud of Maddie’s ability to work in a high-level professional context. Not only did she excel in her own part of our presentation, she also engaged in presentations by faculty from around the world and showed the depth of intellectual development of TU Honors College students. I couldn’t have made it through last year without her creative and innovative contributions, and I am so pleased to work with again her this year.
Congratulations to Dr. McCartney, Madeleine Meyer, Michele Calderon, and TU alumnus Connor Cameron on your research and presentation!