A delegation of Rhodes College students represented the Mid-South at the 2018 Global Engagement Summit held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City Feb. 23. Fourteen students, along with the Rhodes GenUN faculty advisor Dr. Thomas McGowan, participated in sessions on global issues such as climate change, peace and security, human rights, and more.
“Because of the leadership of Rhodes GenUN President Jenna Gilley and Dr. McGowan as well as my own efforts to bring attention to global issues, our student delegates represented Rhodes very well while engaging with world leaders and global activists,” says Seabelo John, UN global health fellow who helped coordinate the trip. “Rhodes GenUN has indeed used this opportunity to develop international youth leaders who will impact Rhodes, Memphis, and the Mid-South through ongoing projects.”
With more than 1,800 attendees from 42 states (as well as D.C. and the Virgin Islands), the Global Engagement Summit, which is presented annually by the United Nations Association of the USA, included a record number of college students. Rhodes had the largest group from the Mid-South with the following delegates:
Hussein Abulamzi ’21
Rayaan Bashir ’21
Joshua Benton ’20
Jenna Gilley ’20
Seabelo John ’19
Grace Lemons ’20
Brandon Lever ’21
Kristen Morris ’20
Verina Sawiers ’21
Joao Pedro Tampellini Silva ’21
Isaac Swafford ’21
Austin Wall ’19
Sara Weeks ’20
Alexander Woronzoff ’21