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Students in the IR Program are required to participate in an experiential learning activity. Lynchburg College currently supports two distinctive programs that offer students the opportunity to put into practice, in a meaningful context, what they have learned in the classroom, including the European Union Simulation. The Mid-Atlantic European Union Simulation Consortium, of which Lynchburg College is a member, sponsors one of the three EU simulations that take place in North America. Nearly 200 students from some 15 institutions of higher learning meet in the fall to debate a timely issue of significant importance to the 27-member European Union. In the past, students have conducted in-depth studies of Immigration Policy, Environmental Policy, European Monetary Union, and European Union Enlargement.

During the four-day simulation, which takes place in Washington, D.C., students attend a briefing at a European Embassy and meet with specialists engaged in U.S./European relations. The European Union Simulation is organized to promote maximum participation from all participants, and its small size and working group atmosphere encourage students to take part in the deliberative process.

Multiple opportunities for leadership development exist during the simulation. In the past, LC students have been elected to chair party caucuses, have served as chairs and rapporteurs of committee meetings, and have even been elected to the vice-presidency of the European Parliament. In fact, during several EU Simulations, LC students were elected to more leadership positions than the students from any of the other participating institutions.