International Studies Academy hosts conference

The International Studies Academy (ISA), in coordination with the International Institute in DC and the State Department, hosted its first conference today during fourth and half of fifth period in the auditorium. Approximately 250 Blazers attended the conference to learn about issues such as human rights from representatives of many foreign countries and to recognize International Education Week, according to ISA leader Jody Zepp.

Professors and other academic leaders from Brazil, Kenya, China, India, Uganda, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Haiti, Sierra Leone and Poland presented PowerPoint presentations to the attendees that included information about the countries' policies on human rights, macroeconomics, sustained development, investigative journalism and geopolitical analysis, among others.

The presentations of professors, government and aid workers from these countries were intended to provide "tangible experiences" and to enrich the "academic dialogue and discourse" in correspondence with the academy's courses, according to Zepp. Zepp also stated that these representatives, a number of whom teach at Boston University, the University of Minnesota and Michigan State University, could help ISA students "see the intersection of area specialization" of subjects such as political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics and world history "with interdisciplinary thought and analysis."

Social Studies teacher David Whitacre felt as though this conference was "good for its first time," and was pleased to see that the students actively participated in the discussions. Zepp was also enthused with the conference's success and "very proud" of the faculty and students who participated.

Zepp's wish following the conference is that "the dialogue continues, the academic spirit is uplifted, the interest is sustained," and that "the questioning and wondering increases." Zepp also hopes that ISA students "share their knowledge they've acquired themselves between and amongst themselves." Potential plans include panel discussions and academy debates.

The ISA's cooperative partnership with the International Institute has created the opportunity to secure a similar conference next year, but such an event is not confirmed.