Dear Delegates and Faculty Advisors,
On behalf of our entire conference staff, it is our great pleasure to welcome you to Harvard Model Congress 2011! This year, the conference will take place Thursday, February 17 – Sunday, February 20, 2011 at the Sheraton in downtown Boston. We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves and Harvard Model Congress, the nation’s leading government simulation program.
As the Co-Presidents of HMC 2011, we, Vasiliki Katsarou and Basima Tewfik, are thrilled to share with you our extensive Harvard Model Congress experience, passion, and dedication. Vasiliki is a senior Government concentrator in Quincy House with a secondary field in Psychology and a language citation in Spanish. Having served as a delegate, she has also served as a committee chair in the House of Representatives, the Chief of Staff, and most recently the Speaker of the House. The 2011 Boston conference will be her eleventh conference. Basima is a senior in Kirkland House concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Economics and a language citation in Arabic. Basima hails from a background in Senate, starting out as a committee chair. She has also served as the Executive Assistant to the Vice President, the Director of Operations for the San Francisco Conference, and, in 2010, the President of the Senate. The 2011 Boston Conference will be her ninth and final conference.
Entering its 26th year, Harvard Model Congress offers a unique opportunity to educate thousands of students about the most crucial domestic and international issues facing our nation. We value Harvard Model Congress as a place for students to take on various roles, debate and reach consensus with their peers, and gain significant public speaking skills that will benefit them for their entire life. Whether serving in a courtroom, a congressional committee, or even the White House, delegates have a remarkable opportunity to defend roles they may disagree with, approach matters in ways they may not have thought before, and present their positions with a loud and confident voice that will serve them for years to come.
Directing debate in a mosaic of committees, our truly competent and enthusiastic staff members dedicate their time to providing the best experience for our delegates and their faculty advisors. We are honored to have such devoted and talented Harvard students who have chosen to educate high school students with excellence. As an organization that is completely run by Harvard students, we pride ourselves on the professionalism and excitement demonstrated by all our members, whether they are preparing briefing topics for their delegates, negotiating hotel contracts, or setting the budget for the entire organization.
Recognized as a 501-©(3) nonprofit since 2006, we work hard to honor our mission of educating high school students outside their classrooms in meaningful ways. We do not receive any compensation for our work, but are happy to provide our services for the education of our students. Finally, we proudly continue our scholarship program. Last year we awarded more than $7,500 in scholarships, and we hope to expand it even more in years to come so that more students can benefit from our conference.
We are honored to be part of such a noble and worthwhile cause, and we hope that you will be able to join us in this wonderful four-day experience this coming February! Please explore our website to learn more about Harvard Model Congress and how to register. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us via our online contact form. Again, we are thrilled to welcome you to HMC 2011, and look forward to having the opportunity to work with you over the coming months!
Warm Regards,
