European Union Simulation
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.
Students have studied:
- Immigration Policy
- Environmental Policy
- The 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 promotes participation with its small size and working group atmosphere. Multiple opportunities for leadership development exist during the simulation.
In the past, LC students have:
- been elected to chair party caucuses
- served as chairs and rapporteurs of committee meetings, and
- 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.
