UVU Foreign Affairs Club Hosts U.S. Department of State Crisis Management Trainer and Former Counterterrorism Unit Chief
Poster created by Lena Venionova - UVU Office of Global Engagement
On November 16th, 2021, the Utah Valley University (UVU) Foreign Affairs Club hosted the U.S. Embassy Manila in the Philippines, Counterterrorism Chief Seth Blaylock of the U.S. State Department. In September 2021, Dr. Jay DeSart, Chair of the UVU History and Political Science department ,was asked by the State Department representatives to arrange a meeting with students who are interested in foreign service. Dr. Jay DeSart, decided to do that by inviting members of the Foreign Affairs club as hosts because of his continued support for its use of the student-engaged learning (SEL) model. According to the SEL, students work as a group to learn how to resolve real world issues with a faculty member serving them as a mentor. The UVU Office of Global Engagement also agreed to co-host the event.
Student members of the UVU Foreign Affairs club designed the agenda, handled logistics and then organized the event through a team effort. A task list was created for the event outlined major assignments which have been distributed among the Foreign Affairs Club Officers: Kory Armitstead - VP, Camilla Pendleton - Secretary, Matthew Drachman - InterClub Council (ICC) Representative, and myself.
Camilla Pendleton, Foreign Affairs Secretary, coordinated communications between Foreign Affairs members and during weekly meetings ensured every member was assigned a task that fit their specialties and that event preparations were completed on time. She also collaborated with our co-hosts to ensure their participation and support.
Alitha Thompson, President of the UVU Foreign Affairs Club moderates the event
Catherine Baumgardner, Foreign Affairs Club Media Specialist, designed a brochure for the event. She kept under a 24-hour turnaround with each draft and made sure every protocol and formality was covered.
Front side of the Brochure
Back Side of the Brochure
Brochure designed by Catherine Baumgardner
Kory Armitstead, VP and former businessman, set up multiple online platforms to help the Foreign Affairs’ club to communicate and pass information efficiently. He scheduled the presentation online and double-checked to make sure all the paperwork was completed and submitted on time. He handled all this while keeping the information secure. Additionally, he helped to encourage each member to stay lighthearted and reach for their dreams.
Matthew Drachman, ICC Representative, handled our media and promoted the event through the College Clubs Office. He reached out to the UVU Review, a college newspaper, to schedule a reporter to attend. We wanted those students who could not attend to be able to still receive the insights that Seth Blaylock provided into the working of the State Department.
As President of the UVU Foreign Affairs club, I was the contact for the State Department. I worked as a liaison between Mr. Blaylock's Assistant, Mr. Zuri Jordan, and the point of contact within UVU. I worked as the primary project manager and coordinated efforts and led meetings to have every possible challenge covered and prepared for.
The presentation began with ease because of all the preparative work the Foreign Affairs club did. Mr. Seth Blaylock and his staff were very helpful as we worked through the challenges that come from learning. Prior to the call, he reached out to tailor his presentation to the needs of the students. He took each of our questions and excitement to create a presentation that covered many aspects of the State Department.
Those of us at UVU, joined together in the same room to help prepare for any challenges that might arise from the technical side of the zoom call. It was helpful to have multiple people covering an area of responsibility. It created a smoother transition and experience.
Mr. Blaylock joined our pre-call technical check and put each participant at ease. Amy Barnett, Global Events and Hosting Program Director of The Global Engagement Office, opened the presentation and managed the live-stream. This allowed the students to focus on the presentation and the questions that were received.
(From L to R, Top to Bottom) Mr. Seth Blaylock, Alitha Thompson, Lisa Cannon, Nicholas Bradley, Dr. Abdrisaev, Camilla Pendleton, Matthew Drachman, Kory Armitstead, Catherine Baumgardner, Ms. Amy Barnett)
I moderated the presentation, which was a new experience for me. I introduced Matt Drachman, who introduced our dignitary, Mr. Seth Blaylock. He did so with confidence and the charm he brings to all his interactions.
Matthew Drachman introduces Seth Blaylock
Mr. Seth Blaylock was very easy to connect to through his presentation. Born in Orem, Utah, he obtained his BS at BYU. He talked about the different aspects of the State Department, such as supporting American citizens who are abroad, promoting democracy while maintaining stability in the world, and all the humanitarian aid the State Department provides. I was impressed by how multi-faceted the State Department is.
Mr. Seth Blaylock talks about his experiences
Mr. Blaylock talked about Malaysian transgender rights advocate Nisha Ayub who was helped to escape the persecution she received for her status and then how she became a recipient of the United States Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award along with the work he did in Pakistan to help counter-terrorism.
He was in-depth on the various aspects and balance between work and family within the State Department. This was a popular question during the live-stream and a worry for many within the Foreign Affairs Club. It brought a lot of comfort to hear about his experiences with his family in tandem with his career. He kept the audience engaged with humor, relatable stories, and explained things in a personable manner. The presentation was both knowledgeable and enjoyable.
We were advised by Mr. Blaylock to leave more time for questions in our schedule, for which I am very glad we did. We received many questions throughout the presentation through the live-stream. Nicholas Bradley and Lisa Cannon, FA club members, worked in perfect tandem to transition between each question.
Nicholas Bradley asks Mr. Blaylock about how the State Department intervenes.
Lisa Cannon helping to moderate the Q&A session
We received over thirteen questions, of which Mr. Blaylock had time to answer nine. One of the main questions was on the balance between work and home. Mr. Blaylock talked about the areas he served, like Pakistan, where he couldn’t take family, but how he managed to maintain his relationship with them through it.
A few questions broached the topic of how the State Department staff who work as Consular officers overseas, intervene in situations where American Citizens are in trouble. Mr. Blaylock explained the various steps the State Department can take to help and where they can not. He talked about his experiences in North Korea and a citizen who was detained there. He also spoke about what to do if your passport gets stolen. The State Department can’t always go in and immediately solve the problem, but U.S. diplomats can be liaisons and provide access to resources that can help. Whether that is funds from home or connections to get a new visa/passport, they are there to help traveling Americans.
How to connect with the State Department
Camilla Pendleton closed the presentation by presenting the gift to Mr. Blaylock on behalf of the Foreign Affairs club to show appreciation of its members for his participation, which allowed them another opportunity to implement the Student Engaged-Learning model.
Camilla Pendleton presents Mr. Blaylock a gift on behalf of Foreign Affairs Club
This experience taught FA members many skills that are vital for a career in the world of diplomacy and other lessons such as the importance of double-checking information to ensure accuracy. When working with media and promotional material, it is important to gather all information and create a memo to save time on corrections. Students in the audience also learned that the State Department is a complex multilayered system that is less intimidating than it appears. It is made up of amazing people who are fighting the same battles we fight: equality and hope for the world.
Alitha Thompson, President of the UVU Foreign Affairs Club
***
TASK LIST FOR HOSTING MR. SETH BLAYLOCK
***
STUDENT REFLECTIVE ESSAYS
21-11-22-Lisa Cannon -My Experience at the UVU Foreign Affairs Club Hosting of Seth Blaylock
