ON THE Friday before Thanksgiving break, hundreds of high school students from around the country arrived on Grounds. They did not swarm the admissions office, or line up for a University Guides tour. They were not just on another college visit. Instead, they came as delegates -- not for their respective schools, but for the countries they would represent in the Virginia Model United Nations (VAMUN) conference.
Each year, the International Relations Organization hosts VAMUN and organizes mock UN conferences in Charlottesville. The event requires immense effort and planning on the part of IRO members, but the hard work pays off: This year, IRO raised over $30,000 from the event. However, in addition to providing funds for IRO and a stimulating experience for participants, VAMUN greatly benefits the entire University. By allowing high school students to see Grounds and interact with University students, VAMUN familiarizes them with Jefferson's prized institution and encourages them to return for college.
This year, in its post-conference survey, IRO asked participants how VAMUN affected their perceptions of the University. The responses were overwhelmingly positive. Many students expressed interest in coming to the University after spending time on Grounds and in classrooms. "I had a really great time coming to Grounds as a high school student," said Aman George, President of IRO. "VAMUN gives delegates a great opportunity to interact with University students."
Unfortunately, too few University organizations offer similar opportunities for high school students. Over six hundred student organizations currently operate on Grounds. These groups work with University students, the Charlottesville community, and even disadvantaged peoples abroad. Madison House coordinates efforts to help the Charlottesville youth. Alternative Spring Break sends students to Africa, Europe and South America. The pursuits of our student groups are certainly diverse and numerous. But too few organizations target high school students in their activities. Too few groups aim to attract potential applicants to come to our University.
Obviously, most University organizations have objectives that do not necessarily relate to recruiting future students. They do not strive to be the support teams of the admissions office. As such, it might seem unreasonable to ask these organizations to consider high school students as an important audience. However, IRO offers a noteworthy example of how student groups can incorporate a particular focus into an event that attracts high school students. Other organizations should follow its lead.
"The committees this year were really interesting, and I think everybody had a great time," said Charlotte Slaiman, Secretary General of VAMUN. "The kids seemed to enjoy it a lot. They also loved eating on the Corner and at the Dining Hall, and we had a dance for them in O-Hill Forum which was fun for them too." Through conferences in classrooms, meals on the Corner, and perhaps a few clandestine trips to Rugby, VAMUN delegates got a genuine taste of the University experience.
As part of their annual activities, more groups should attempt to target high school students from Virginia and around the country. We all can serve as diplomats for the University. We can play an important role in shaping the classes that follow us. The University Guides give stimulating tours, and, in many ways, the University setting speaks for itself. But tours cannot substitute for a weekend experience in Charlottesville. They cannot provide visitors with ongoing interactions with University students. And perhaps most importantly, events like VAMUN attract students who would nototherwise visit.
Nothing will shape the future of our University as much as the forthcoming classes of students. In four years, the student body will be entirely new, but we can help shape it now. Six hundred groups with thousands of student members can hold events and organize activities that the admissions staff cannot. IRO has already demonstrated this. A total of 762 high school students from 35 different schools attended this year's VAMUN. Many of them could be great assets to our University in the coming years. And thanks to IRO, many of them will undoubtedly return -- not as delegates of England, Iran or India -- but as members of the class of 2012 or 2013.
John Nelson's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at jnelson@cavalierdaily.com.