Hope College students won a variety of honors during the Michigan Model League of Arab States, held on Wednesday-Friday, March 1-3, at Grand Valley State   University.

          The students portraying Syria tied for "Best
  Delegation" with a group from Aquinas College portraying
  Libya.  Several Hope students also received individual
  honors and were elected to leadership positions for this
  year's and next year's event.
          The purpose of the model is to introduce students
  to the Arab world, to highlight the important issues in the
  region, and to generate understanding about the patterns of
  cooperation and conflict within the Arab world and with the
  international community.
          Students role-play members of the Arab League
  during the model, working on one of five committees:
  economic affairs, Palestinian affairs, political affairs,
  security affairs and social/cultural affairs.  Each
  delegation wrote position papers outlining its nation's
  stand on the various issues being discussed and wrote
  resolutions that were presented to the committees for
  discussion and voting.
          The students from Hope represented Egypt and
  Syria.  In addition, senior James Sitati of Nairobi, Kenya,
  served as assistant secretary general for the Michigan Model
  Arab League.
          Representing Egypt were:  Bassam Atallah, a senior
  from Larnaca, Cyprus; Les Jared, a junior from Grand Rapids;
  Leecox Omollo, a sophomore from Nairobi, Kenya; and A.
  Gregoor Passchier, a sophomore from Waddinxveen, The
  Netherlands.
          Representing Syria were:  Radoslav Iliev, a junior
  from Sofia, Bulgaria; Bradley Jerdon, a sophomore from
  Niles; Whitney Schraw, a junior from Boyne City; and Kristy
  Truax, a sophomore from Wilmington, Del.
          Schraw won an "Outstanding Delegate" award for her
  work on the Palestinian Affairs Committee, of which she was
  vice-chair.  She was also elected secretary general for next
  year's Michigan Model Arab League.
          Iliev and Jared won honorable mentions for their
  work on the Political Affairs Committee.  Atallah won
  honorable mention for his work on the Social Affairs
  Committee.
          The Hope student delegation prepared for seven
  weeks prior to the model.  The students researched Egypt and
  Syria, reviewed the current political situation in all of
  the countries of the Arab League and practiced Robert's
  Rules of Order.  The Hope students have the option of
  earning one credit hour for their participation.  Their
  advisor was Dr. G.L. Penrose, professor of history, assisted
  by Dr. Janis Gibbs, assistant professor of history.
          The Michigan Model League of Arab States is
  sponsored by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and
  Grand Valley State University, with the assistance of the
  League of Arab States and the Michigan Council on U.S.-Arab
  Relations.  Dr. Khalid Abdalla, the Chief Representative of
  the League of Arab States in the United States, spoke at the
  model league's opening session.
          In addition to Hope and Aquinas, schools
  participating in the event included Grand Valley State
  University, Kalamazoo College, Spring Arbor College and the
  University of Michigan at Dearborn.