Making the Most of Your University Experience: Foreign Policy Education Outside of the Classroom

Entering university, there are so many new opportunities to get involved and develop skills in interesting fields. When I first arrived at McGill, I was introduced to multiple organisations and associations for youth interested in international relations and policy-making. Coming into these projects with little expectations, I could not help but notice how getting involved would give me practical experiences in Political Science and International Relations. I was also aware of how rewarding these opportunities could be in developing valuable skills that cannot be taught in a textbook. 

Outlined below are a few pointers on how to make the most of your university years. However, it is important to point out that career pathways are uniquely different for all womxn based on circumstances often out of self-control. Indeed, an unfortunately overlooked aspect of academia is the reality that  partaking in extra-curriculars is not equally accessible to students due to the financial sacrifices that are often required. While I was able to balance classes and two part-time jobs requiring 10 to 15 hours a week, the extent of one’s involvement in extracurriculars will be impacted by these financial constraints. Therefore, in order to partake in the commitments outlined below, balancing your time commitments and priorities in a reasonable manner is essential and cannot be overlooked.

Outlined below are a  few suggestions to optimize your undergraduate experience and to gain insight into foreign policy education. These experiences will deepen your knowledge of the field and let you develop important skills like teamwork, leadership, communication and research.

Look for the opportunities that inspire you.  

Seek out opportunities within the institutions you are apart of. Start by looking for student clubs, organisations, and associations that focus on international relations, politics, and policy-making. Another course of action is to get involved in local community-based organisations that focus on policy-making in the subjects that interest you and that you are passionate about. Getting practical experience can peak your academic interests, allowing you to use the teachings from the classroom to the real world. Indeed, these opportunities will also teach you topics that cannot be taught within a school curriculum, such as collaborating with others, time management, and perfecting your communication skills. 

My first involvement included joining the Model United Nations team of my university; this consisted of travelling to various North-American Universities to participate in simulations of the United Nations’ different agencies. During these conferences, I would engage in substantive debates on interesting topics such as the Regulation of Misinformation, Global Self-Sufficiency, and Ecotourism. Participating in these assemblies was incredibly rewarding as it allowed me to engage in diplomatic negotiations and to practice writing resolutions that were representative of different global perspectives. Through these experiences, I developed important skills such as public speaking, policy writing, research, and diplomatic negotiating. 

Following this rewarding experience, I was eager to participate in hosting similar conferences from my university.  Indeed, within my three years at University, I had the opportunity to lead discussions in Model United Nations’ committees, that centred around the freedoms of the press, global disaster risk reduction initiatives, and international human rights.  I also had the possibility to fly across the world to Beijing, China and help teach high school students on diplomacy, foreign policy, public speaking, criminal justice, and the principles of international human rights law. While embarking on these journeys can be daunting because of how challenging they appear, I was constantly reminded of how much I was learning through these experiences and how they were improving my understanding of topics covered in lectures. 

Photo of Hawa Maiga and friends at WE model united nations conference

Embrace the Impostor Syndrome: Get involved to the best of your abilities. 

Don’t hesitate to contact these organisations and learn about existing or future opportunities to get involved in their projects. In 1978, psychologists Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes published an article titled “The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women” outlining the prevalence of women feeling undeserving of their jobs. A recent study by the University of Texas introduces an important racial component to impostor syndrome that can help explain the hesitations and anxieties that women, and particularly women of colour may face when applying for positions of leadership. Whilst applying may be daunting, especially when there is a lack of feeling of belonging in these spaces, it is a crucial first step. Volunteering in any way possible is a great entry-level method that will allow you to learn more about the organisation’s operations.  Additionally, by partaking in these projects you will gain experience and develop important soft-skills like communication, teamwork and leadership all while learning more on the subject matter. In reality, the more efforts you invest and the more dedicated you are in these projects, the more rewarding these experiences will be. In my experience, the best way to confront impostor syndrome is to be proactive in these spaces and to face your fears head-on. I personally also found a lot of comfort in these situations by surrounding myself with supportive peers with similar interests as me who would provide insight and words of comfort in times of need.

Seek Mentors and Allies for Support.

As hinted earlier, finding an ally or mentor in these spaces can be incredibly beneficial and can significantly improve your experience. Indeed, if you can find a supporter within your field of interest and that has characteristics that you can identify with, these relationships can be especially influential in providing guided counsel to help you navigate the pathways and obstacles you may encounter. Mentors can include professors or experts in your field. However, mentors can also include other students in leadership or young adults who have gone through similar experiences and dilemmas. Indeed, I found a lot of support and guidance by students as little as a year older than me. These support systems can be great to answer questions you may have. In turn, you could also become a mentor for future hopefuls. Do not neglect the influence your presence can have for future womxn considering to get involved in these projects and who are looking to participate in foreign policy education.

My Final Thoughts

Partaking in organisations that fuelled my passions has been an incredibly rewarding experience that has changed my life for the better. Through these involvements, I developed critical skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, research,  and foreign policy education. I was able to visit new areas of the world and meet other young womxn with similar interests and ambitions. While navigating these options can be daunting, they do not have to be faced alone. Building a support system of individuals that you trust and that can share insight on your situation can play an important role in making your experience as enjoyable and fruitful as possible. It is important to venture outside of the classroom setting to gain practical experiences that will solidify your knowledge in your fields of interest to best prepare you for life after university. 

Author: Hawa Maiga

Hawa Maiga is a student at McGill University completing a bachelor’s degree with a Joint Honours in International Development Studies and Political Science and a minor in Classical Studies. She sits on the Board of Directors of the International Relations Students’ Association of McGill (IRSAM) as the Secretary-General of McMUN 2020, the largest Model United Nations Conference in Canada.

Published 2nd November 2019

photo of Hawa Maiga