Courtesy of Evie Lockwood Mullaney ’27
While the rest of campus was still peacefully dozing through the start of April Fool’s Day, the class of 2027 Center for International Studies and the Liberal Arts (CISLA) cohort was setting out before dawn to make it to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City by mid-morning. They were accompanied by CISLA Program Director and German Studies Professor Suzuko Knott, Administrative Assistant Jane Kolar, and International Programs Coordinator Jordan Rottger, looking to embark on the annual rendition of what had been a program tradition for over 20 years. Prior to the trip, Professor Eric Fleury gave a series of guest lectures on the UN’s role in the evolving Israel-Palestine conflict, so the scholars could learn about the administrative and enforcement mechanisms of the UN that they would later see.
After a sleepy several hours on the bus, the group arrived at their first stop of the day: the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United States. There, they met with policy advisor Mr. Daniel Galicia, who specializes in migration studies. After hearing about his work, Professor Knott continued the conversation from the 2026 cohort’s conversation on migration from the previous year, with a specific focus on migration among various global conflicts. The group discussed the recent uptick in climate migration before wrapping up.
From there, they enjoyed a sunny walk through Manhattan and a filling lunch of pad thai, fried rice, and dumplings. Fueled, they went back to the UN, ready to take on the rest of the day. The afternoon started off with a visit to the Permanent Mission of Senegal to the United States. There, their interns graciously passed out waters and gave a presentation on Senegalese culture and political structure before a Q and A with what felt like the entire staff of the mission, including Ambassador and Permanent Representative Gorgui, and many counselors and policy specialists.
The day capped off with a guided tour of UN headquarters, which for many was what made the 5-A.M.-wake-up worth it. After securing visitor’s passes, a virtual souvenir for the day, the group split in two for a walkthrough of the UN’s main chambers, administrative spaces, and history. The scholars ended the day by browsing through country flags and postcards in the gift shop before enjoying a delicious Mediterranean family-style dinner, complete with plates of hummus and French fries. A beautiful New York City sunset lit up the street as the class of 2027 boarded the bus back to New London. Returning to campus a little before 10:30 P.M., it was an incredible day trip and learning opportunity for these aspiring diplomats.
