Rutgers Model Congress 2021

We are thrilled to welcome you all back to Rutgers Model Congress, after putting the conference on pause during the past year due to the ongoing pandemic. While we will be doing it a little bit differently, in a virtual setting, we hope that you are just as excited as we are to return to RMC. RMC 2021 is one of the premier Model Congress conferences for giving delegates an experience in domestic affairs ,that spans a wide variety of committee forms and topics. The issues that are discussed and the delegations involved will challenge the delegates to think beyond party lines and beyond what has been done in the past. One thing that is certain is that there is always room to improve our national policies and to create the change that we wish to see in our nation. Our directors have been working tirelessly to ensure that the delegates are equipped to achieve exactly that. Eighteen directors have stepped up to take on the role of being educators and guides for the delegates in a year-long process, each having their own vision for how the United States can improve. Whether the committees are tackling issues such as “Regulation of Agrochemicals” or “Managing Public Debt,” they will empower the delegates to think about these topics in a manner that they likely have not before and help them to create lasting resolutions to some of the country’s most challenging issues.

The theme of this conference is going to focus on an aspect of American politics that is not always covered at Model Congress events: the implications and effects that our international image has on domestic policies, and vice versa. Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has taken on a role of being a leader on the global stage and a vanguard for the rights and freedoms that our people have always sought to defend. In an increasingly globalized world, the United States has continued to be pushed into the spotlight of all nations. Our domestic policies and debates surrounding our national issues have become speaking points for all people around the world. And this puts the United States and its government in an interesting position, one that has recently become a focal point in the divide between political parties. How much do foreign opinions affect how we as a country act? How much should these foreign opinions affect us? Answering these questions requires taking a deep look at the role of the United States in the international community. A lot of that reimagining has to start at the national level and with the problems that we as a country face.

So much has changed since I developed this theme in the Spring of 2019. Our government looks quite different, as does America’s image abroad. As the dust settles from a tumultuous election year, we enter a period of time filled with uncertainty. Will America’s image return to what it was in the past? Will the policies enacted by a new executive and legislature have their intended effects? How will partisanship evolve after a period of such strong polarity? And what will be the international response to it all? As we watch this next chapter of the United States unfold so too does the rest of the world.

Over the course of the three days of RMC 2021, I want the delegates to take in just how monumental the decisions they’re making are. The choices that they make and the bills that they pass may directly affect those who live in our borders but they often indirectly impact the entire world. While balancing the respective ideals of their parties, delegates will also have to imagine how their choices play into the shaping of America’s international role, and whether or not that reality is a good or bad thing.

While the format of our conference may have changed, our mission and goals have not. Our staff has worked tirelessly to ensure that the online setting does not negatively affect the quality of learning, development, and enjoyment that the delegates will take away from the conference. And while we will miss hosting opening ceremonies and committees in-person, we are still excited to see you all virtually and bring the delegates the best conference experience possible. Delegates will be able to take what they learn about their committees, the topics, the theme, and themselves and translate it into all aspects of their lives. We know that they each have the potential to become the future of this nation, and we couldn’t be more excited to help them in their journey.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any feedback or questions at info@idia.net. We here at RMC 2021 are excited to meet you all in April!

Best,

Cameron Krause

Executive Director

RMC 2021

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