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BYU student thinks abroad and wins an iPad

A BYU student's participation in a competition put on by the Kennedy Center yielded a new toy only a few weeks before Christmas.

Clayton Conley, an economics major from Provo, won an iPad for his political analysis in a Model United Nations class blog during fall 2012.

The competition was the first of its type at BYU, but it may occur again. The Kennedy Center used a grant from The New York Times to pay for the iPad in a competition that required them to read about global issues. The students responded to two New York Times articles weekly throughout the semester. They included links to additional articles with their posts, and they could also respond to other students' comments on the blog.

Conley, the winner of the tablet, said the competition combined two activities he enjoys: writing and keeping up on world affairs. He hopes to go into diplomacy after graduation, and the assignment helped him make real-life applications of his classroom learning.

Cory Leonard, assistant director at the David M. Kennedy Center, cites the competition as part of the Center's efforts to encourage student awareness of the world outside campus.

Conley had no trouble finding a good use for the iPad.

'I have it with me right now,' Conley said with a smile. 'But I don't have any games on it — yet.'

He has reduced the size of his backpack this semester by downloading his Korean language textbooks onto the iPad. He also uses it to stay informed on world events. Although Conley did not read The New York Times before the class, he now reads the newspaper daily.

Conley said the class competition was 'the beginning of reading it diligently, consistently.'

With the aid of the iPad, Conley is still following up on his favorite stories from his brief blogging career. He followed the Euro Crisis last semester but is still watching the conflicts in China regarding leadership changes and the disputed territory. Conley served a mission in Korea, and his understanding of the Asian culture increased his interest in the events of the area.

The assignment also helped Conley to broaden his horizons. He read about parts of the world he would not otherwise have researched.

'I don't think I would have known about Syria,' Conley said.

This is not the only electronic giveaway put on by the Kennedy Center last semester. In November, students who participated in the events of International Education Week had their names put in a drawing. Although BYU has observed this national event annually since 2002, this was the largest celebration yet.

'BYU was taking it to the next level,' said Suzy Bennett, registrar for International Study Programs at the Kennedy Center. 'We gave away four Kindles.'

The various Kennedy Center competitions help BYU students enhance their knowledge of international affairs. For more information about future competitions, internships and study abroad opportunities visit kennedy.byu.edu.