.png)
 |
| Laura Hinkle ('22) |
I
recently had the opportunity to attend West Point Military Academy’s 70th
annual Student Conference on U.S. Affairs, better known as SCUSA. My time at
SCUSA was without a doubt one of the most influential and thought-provoking
experiences of my life. However, before I hop in to why SCUSA was so profound
for me personally, let me first explain a little bit about what the conference
was all about. The overarching topic was Cooperation Reimagined: American
Influence in a Complex World. From this topic, we were subdivided into focus
groups to write an official policy memorandum for the National Security
Council.
My group’s theme was Migration and Refugees, a topic which we all were
passionate about and thus were able to have intriguing and sometimes difficult
conversations on. These discussions ranged from the official definition of
refugees and migrants, the protections that should be offered to each group
under international law, where the most prevalent crises are occurring across
the world, and ways the United States can assert a position while also
providing a framework for addressing future crises. In the end, we decided to
focus on the emerging Venezuelan refugee crisis, providing a framework centered
on economically supporting the millions of Venezuelans fleeing to neighboring
countries. My group was unique in that the perspectives my peers brought to the
table were extremely diverse, including those with roots in Greece, Canada, Poland,
India, Rwanda, Pakistan, and Mexico.
One
of the main purposes of SCUSA besides the actual policy writing is to foster
communication between civilians and cadets, most of which will be brilliant
leaders in whatever career path they follow. My time spent getting to know my
fellow SCUSA delegates was at the core of why SCUSA meant so much to me.
Although it’d be impossible to articulate all the life lessons learned and
inside jokes made, I decided to list below some of the highlights of my SCUSA
experience.
1.
Discussing political
ideology with senior cadets, specifically in regards to the role of the
military
2.
Learning that no one
knows where Kentucky is
3.
If they do know where
Kentucky is, the follow up question being, “Why don’t you have a country
accent?”
4.
Learning that communal
bathrooms = 1 big room with multiple showerheads
5.
Watching cadets complete
the indoor obstacle course test, one of the most rigorous physical challenges
they face in their time at West Point
6.
Destroying everyone in
foosball
7.
Getting destroyed in
pool
8.
Hearing about a guy’s
experience of living in Crimea when it was annexed by Russia
9.
Waking up at 5:30 every
morning because my roommates don’t know what a good night’s sleep is
10. Discussing the mental health issues many cadets face and the
steps West Point has taken to provide support
11. Surviving off a minimum of 3 cups of coffee and 2 cookies a
day
12. Boarding a plane to Dallas instead of Louisville!!! And
hiding in the bathroom afterwards to cope with the embarrassment of being on
the entirely wrong plane
13. Being revitalized to wholeheartedly pursue my career goals,
while simultaneously feeling at peace knowing that the amazing people I met
will go on to be leaders of our national and international community
Laura Hinkle of Elizabethtown, Ky., is a member of the McConnell Scholar Class of 2022. She studies political science at the University of Louisville.