March 14, 2018 — Communication major Kelsey Genesi is moving one step closer to her dream job this week. With help from Political Science Lecturer Tim Allison, Genesi, a junior, was appointed as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) delegate to the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which is taking place from March 12-23 in New York City.
Genesi will be representing the Gray Panthers, a series of nonprofit local multi-generational advocacy groups that deal with ageism and other social justice issues confronting senior citizens.
“I feel so grateful that my instructor was able to do this for me,” Genesi said. “I’m so excited to go and soak up this experience.”
Genesi is referring to Political Science Lecturer Tim Allison, Esq., who served as an appointed Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) delegate to the U.N. himself.
“I have students fill out a survey at the beginning of every class, and one of the questions is to describe their ideal job,” Allison said. “One of the things Kelsey indicated is that she wanted to work for the U.N. She was a brilliant student and very engaging, and as we talked over the semester, I realized I had connections and might be able to get her appointed as a delegate.”
It took some doing, but Genesi aced the interviews and was named a delegate to the U.N. Her five days in New York will be funded in part by the CSUCI Student Research Advisory Committee, which enables students to attend conferences and take advantage of field experiences.
The theme for this year’s UN Commission on the Status of Women is empowering rural women around the world, a topic which has always interested Genesi. “I’m interested in their educational rights or lack thereof,” she said. “For me, I’m interested in how we further those educational rights and reproductive rights.” Genesi’s job will be to listen, observe and participate in numerous sessions during the conference.
She added that many people dismissed her dream of working for the U.N., but Allison took it seriously, and helped her move one step closer to her goal.
Allison believes this sort of real world experience for a student is invaluable, especially the exposure to delegates from all over the world, working together to improve the status of women.
“I love that our students here at Channel Islands are out making a difference in the world, whether that be as nurses and doctors, political staffers or at the United Nations,” Allison said. “I hope Kelsey can take this experience and use it to open up doors not only for herself, but also for future CSUCI students.”
Asked if she will apply for a job with the U.N. after graduation, Genesi said: “Definitely!”