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By Macy Waddle
Thanks to McConnell Center U.S. Army War College Fellow Colonel Kimberly Pringle, I had the opportunity to travel to Texas A&M University to participate in the 68th Student Conference on National Affairs (SCONA), specifically the International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise (ISCNE). I had the opportunity to expand my negotiation skills and broaden my horizons by learning more about Texas A&M and the various military academies in attendance.
Traveling with Col. Pringle and fellow McConnell Scholar Alli Geiger, we flew to College Station airport. This being my first time traveling to Texas, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
We were welcomed with open arms by the students of Texas A&M, specifically those in the Army Corps of Cadets. I learned that until 1965, Texas A&M served as a military academy only. This was reflected throughout their campus with the various memorials dedicated to veterans and the weekly Silver Taps ceremony, which honors students who have passed away.
This year’s conference focused on international relations in the South China Sea, with each group participating as Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, or the U.S. Through the negotiation exercises, we had the opportunity to develop strategies and mock treaties to foster peace between nations.
As a member of Team USA, our mission was to ease tensions between countries and ensure that China didn’t take over disputed lands in the region. Through economic sanctions and military training exercises, we eventually reached an agreement with all countries, excluding China, and formed an alliance with Japan in the process. We did all of this under the guidance of U.S. Army War College Fellow Col. Cody Workman, who offered us insight as we tried to navigate two days of negotiations. Col. Workman was an exceptional mentor, encouraging me to be confident in my abilities despite my status as one of the youngest students and one of the few non-military affiliated students. His supportive nature inspired me to speak up during negotiations and make the most of my experience.
As a freshman scholar, this was my first experience traveling for the Center. Initially, I was reluctant to apply. This hesitation could not be attributed to a lack of interest, but rather to my uncertainty about missing class and the content of the conference itself. Despite my initial hesitation, I have no regrets about attending SCONA. I’m incredibly thankful that I chose to take advantage of this opportunity. This experience couldn't be recreated in a regular classroom setting, and it’s only because of the McConnell Center’s generosity that I was able to attend.
Throughout my educational career, I’ve always believed that a well-rounded education is a good education; this conference put this principle into action by furthering my knowledge in an area that I had little experience in beforehand. I look forward to participating in more events like this in the future. Again, I can’t thank the McConnell Center, Col. Pringle, and Col. Workman enough for providing me this opportunity.
Macy Waddle is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2026. She is studying political science and Spanish at the University of Louisville.