April 19 - Two Global and Multinational Studies Majors To Serve at United Nations
This month, undergraduate students Hector Rosa and Daria Georgiyeva will be the first from Rider University selected as young diplomats to participate in the United Nations' Millennium Development Spring Symposium. The three-day event will take place at the United Nations in New York City April 26 -28.
ATHGO International, a noted global affairs organization, selected Rosa, a senior, and Georgiyeva, a sophomore, both global and multinational studies students, based on their strong interest in world affairs. Rosa and Georgiyeva will be among 400 students worldwide who will discuss eight pressing issues directly with U.N. officials. The issues, identified as millennium development goals, will include: ways to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, to achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower, reduce child mortality and how to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
A total of $10,000 in scholarships will be awarded to the top 19 participants to help further their educational aspirations with a Presidential Scholarship awardee receiving $3,000. All who successfully complete the program will be honored with symposium completion certificates. "I am excited and thrilled to have this opportunity to get a real taste of what it actually feels like to be a diplomat," said Rosa, who aspires to become a diplomat or a prime minister. "We are excited to represent Rider," added Georgiyeva, who plans on a diplomatic career. "We feel it is our first step to make positive change in the world."
While at Rider, Hector has already started to make inroads. Last semester, he played an instrumental role in inviting Dr. Thoraya Ahmad Obaid, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Under-Secretary General, to campus to discuss development issues. Last year, he also presented former ambassador Ahmad Kamal of Pakistan with an award for his leadership in world affairs.
This semester along with Georgiyeva and classmates, Rosa participated in an open dialogue videoconference with students from Egypt's American University in Cairo. Each week they sought to resolve conflicts such as the Iraq War and the media and its role in global communications. Currently, he is president of Rider's political science society; public relations society; vice president of the global and multinational studies society, and the United Nations Association, to name a few things.
"Learning about other cultures and languages has always been a passion of mine, said Rosa, a Russian studies minor who is fluent in Spanish and English. "I have wonderful professors like Drs. Frank and Roberta-Fiske Rusciano and Dr. Bosah Ebo and others who have given me invaluable assistance."
Georgiyeva was raised in a household attuned to international affairs. Her parents, who were stationed in Tanzania for two years, experienced the effects of poverty in Africa. "They saw societies torn apart by the civil war and witnessed how a lack of resources affect individuals in every day life," she said. "With such tragedy, I want to help make a difference."
A native of Belarus, Georgiyeva speaks English and Russian fluently.
At Rider, she is a member of many organizations which include serving as vice president of the Slavic Club; public relations representative for the International Club; and treasurer of the Global and Multinational Society. She has served as a member of the 2004 Rider Model United Nations Team and is a tutor in Spanish.
"Rider is the perfect place for me," said Georgiyeva. "Professors are always there to share advice or provide information about events like this symposium. I would like to thank everyone for helping me grow personally and academically."
