Bradley Student Attends Prestigious Summit at West Point

Senior Jacob Chorak was selected as a delegate to represent Bradley at the prestigious Student Conference on United States Affairs (SCUSA) at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Nov. 1 – 4. Approximately 200 talented undergraduates from well-regarded colleges and universities across the country attend SCUSA each year. It is the oldest and most prestigious conference of its type in the world, focusing primarily on U.S. foreign relations, national security, and international relations.

Throughout the conference, the student delegates and West Point cadets debate and formulate policy recommendations that realistically model U.S. strategic responses to significant national and global challenges. “My roundtable group discussed and debated the dangers and issues of addressing climate change and what the U.S. should focus on,” said Chorak, a senior political science and English double major. “The group was very diverse since we had a good mix of cadet delegates and students from across the country with different education backgrounds.”

This year’s keynote speaker was John Kerry, who is serving as the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. 

Students attending the conference stay in the barracks with the cadets, and Chorak was surprised how much he liked military life. “We were able to train with the cadets and try out some of the obstacle courses they are expected to do within a certain time,” he explained. He enjoyed the comradery and seeing the formations from each company. “I learned how much work the army does and how efficient they could be.”

He added, “West Point itself was an incredible experience from the first and last moment I was there, and I wish the conference were a little longer.” He intends to attend law school after graduation next spring to study workers’ compensation and disability rights, but after this experience he’s considering international and environmental law.

— Emily Potts

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