Abroad experiences motivate juniors to start AID chapter

Abroad experiences motivate juniors to start AID chapter

by David M. Kaufmann
The Collegian (University of Richmond)
February 17, 2005

Three former study-abroad students are determined to bring the world home. They are in the process of founding a Richmond chapter of Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), a non-partisan organization focusing on America's role internationally.

The students, Alicia Surdyk, Ashley Weathersbee, and Elleni Ghebremicael all attended AID's Berlin Summit last semester.

"Many Americans don't understand how important our role is globally," Ghebremicael said. "That's what AID is about. It's completely non-partisan. It's for everyone; everyone should know what America is doing. Politics are what we live in. They affect our lives. We need to be informed."

AID is currently supported by 175 universities in more than 10 countries.

"The best thing about AID is that you don't have to know a lot about the issues to be involved," said Ghebremicael. "You just voice your opinion and then hear what others have to say. It's about understanding."

The organization focuses on educating students through town-hall-style meetings, video-conferencing and leadership retreats. The goal is to build a new generation of globally conscious leaders.

"Until you go abroad, you don't really realize how much American policy affects the rest of the world," Weathersbee said. "AID is a great opportunity for former study -abroad students to further their international experience. It's also a good opportunity for students thinking about going abroad to begin to gain an international perspective."

AID is still in the process of being recognized by the school, but has already planned three events.

"AID allows us the opportunity to bring some really exciting speakers to campus," Surdyk said.

They recently planned for Gillian Sorensen, former assistant secretary general of the United Nations and current senior adviser to the United Nations Foundation, to give a talk on U.S.-U.N. relations on April 5.

The organization has an information session Feb.23 in the Alice Haynes Room at 7:30 p.m.

They will also hold a conference on the future of U.S. relations with Africa on March 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Alice Haynes Room. Political science professor Jimmy Kandeh will speak.

"This has always been a politically apathetic campus," Surdyk said. "We are hoping we can start to change that with AID."

Internationally, AID has already had a number of successful events including a series of 12 videoconference dialogues between young leaders at universities in the U.S. and young leaders in the Muslim world and Europe.

"This is a great opportunity to connect Richmond with the rest of the world," Ghebremicael said. "I hope our students embrace it."