Leon Charney Diplomacy Program at Florida Atlantic University
The Leon Charney Diplomacy Program was established at Florida Atlantic University in 1996. Since its inception, the program has offered students interested in international affairs unique opportunities to enhance their diplomatic skills in areas such as speech writing, public speaking, negotiation, dispute resolution, and research. In 2017, the Program was named to honor the legacy of Leon Charney.
We interviewed Khan Ton to gain more information about the Leon Charney Diplomacy Program to encourage students to pursue this program.
What did you gain from the whole period?
From the class: Dr. Morton is a strict and helpful mentor that wishes to see you thrive. In his class, I learned a lot about public speaking, thorough preparation for the competition, and strategies to win over people.
From fellow delegates: I had a friend group and they taught me a lot about American politics because a mid-term was going on at the time.
From the competition: I learned that people have different negotiation styles and it's important to lay out your goals to figure how to reach compromises.
How did you feel about other students? Have you formed good relationships? Are you still in touch today?
Everyone was very friendly, especially the friend group I had. I am still in touch with two people and visited them separately in 2020 and 2021.
Who hosted you? How was it?
I stayed with the Vasic family and they were very accommodating. Ms. Vasic took me on shopping trips and to hang out with her friends. We also decorated for Halloween and Thanksgiving together.
How long did the class last?
I have 4 classes a week and each last about 1.5 hours I think. Dr. Morton had 2 sessions (2 classes per week per section) and I joined both.
What does the day-to-day look like? What do the students do on days when there are no classes on campus?
I would get dropped off at school early and prepare until the morning class. I would then have lunch and meet with my partner to discuss strategies. After that, we would go to the afternoon class and I would hang out with my friend group after class before getting picked up to return home. During my days off, Ms. Vasic, Ms. Burkart, or my friends would take me to go sightseeing and eat out in different places. I went to Fort Lauderdale and Miami during my time there.