Dear Delegates and Faculty Advisors,
On behalf of our entire conference staff, it is our great pleasure to welcome you to Harvard Model Congress 2013! This year’s conference will take place from Thursday, February 21st to Sunday, February 24th, 2013 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 2013, we look forward to sharing our extensive Harvard Model Congress experience, passion, and dedication with you over the coming year. Caitlin Lewis is a senior in Adams House studying Social Studies with a focus field in American Agriculture Politics and Food Identity. Last year she served as President of the Senate for HMC Boston, and she also staffed HMC conferences in Brussels and Singapore. Andrew Shindi is a senior in Currier the House studying Government with a secondary in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. Previously, Andrew served as the Vice President for Harvard Model Congress 2012 and has chaired numerous committees for organization’s various conferences. The 2013 Boston Conference will be Andrew’s ninth Harvard Model Congress experience.
Entering its 28th 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 an experience that allows students to take on various roles and reach consensus while gaining public speaking skills and an appreciation for the political process. Whether serving in a courtroom, a congressional committee, or even the White House, delegates have a remarkable opportunity to consider positions different than their own, work together to draw unique conclusions, and present their ideas with loud and confident voices that will serve them for years to come.
Facilitating debate in a wide variety of committees, our committed and enthusiastic staff members dedicate their time to providing the best experience for our delegates and their faculty advisors. We are honored that our devoted and talented Harvard peers 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 energy 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(c)3 nonprofit since 2006, we work hard to fulfill our mission of educating high school students outside their classrooms in meaningful ways. This year we have dedicated ourselves to improving the overall delegate experience by increasing the number of scholarships offered, reaching out to schools in areas that are historically underrepresented at HMC Boston, further refining the amount of programmatic integration that occurs during the conference, and increasing the media and technology presence at the conference. We are happy to volunteer our time and effort to provide our delegates with an experience that will give them the tools to be active citizens in their own communities.
We are honored to continue HMC’s important mission and to work with such an engaged community, and we hope that you will be able to join us 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 delighted to welcome you to HMC 2013, and we look forward to having the opportunity to work with you throughout the coming year!
Best,
Andrew Shindi
Co-President
Caitlin Lewis
Co-President