Fall 2012 Issue - Colby-Sawyer College

Diplomacy in Action
by Kate Dunlop Seamans
Nick Ciarlante ’14 went
south for spring break,
but it wasn’t to relax on a
sandy beach. Ciarlante,
president of the Student
Government Association,
represented Colby-Sawyer
and New Hampshire
student government
leaders at the American/
Israel Policy Conference
(AIPAC) held March
3-6 in Washington, D.C.
The conference, with
13,000 delegates, is
the largest annual gathering
of the pro-Israel
movement in the United
States, and Israeli defense
and homeland security,
foreign aid, the peace
process and U.S-Israel
relations were on the
agenda. Ciarlante was one
18 Colby-Sawyer College Magazine
of 217 student government
presidents and 1,600
college students to attend
the conference.
Ciarlante enjoyed a welcome
dinner for America’s
Young Political Leaders
and a Student Government
Presidents Luncheon, and
heard from speakers
including U.S. President
Barack Obama, Israeli
President Shimon Peres
and Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu,
House Democratic Leader
Nancy Pelosi and Senate
Republican Leader Mitch
McConnell, along with
other government leaders
and candidates for the
U.S. presidency. “It was
incredible to see so many
people from different
President Barack Obama and other world leaders spoke in support
of a strong and sustained relationship with Israel.
Photo: AP
Nick Ciarlante ’14 represented Colby-Sawyer and
New Hampshire at the AIPAC in Washington, D.C.
political parties, races,
religions and ethnicities
come together because of
the importance of having a
strong ally in the Middle
East,” says Ciarlante. “I
had never heard of AIPAC
before I was invited to
attend, so the conference
was not only an opportunity
for me to learn about
the importance of the
U.S./Israeli alliance and
U.S. foreign policy, but
also an opportunity to
network with thousands of
other college students and
adults from across the
United States.”
Back on campus, Ciarlante
shared his experience in
the nation’s capital in a
presentation attended by
senior staff members,
faculty, staff, students and
community members.
“Hearing ‘Hail to the
Chief’ played live and
watching the president of
the United States walk
to the lectern was the most
exhilarating experience I’ve
ever had,” says Ciarlante.
“This conference confirmed
my interest in
politics. I’ve already
registered to attend next
year, when we will look
at the progress made and
consider how we as a
nation and as citizens can
continue to strengthen
the U.S./Israel alliance.”