16 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST When Bill Hunter, director of Fellowship Advising and UN Programs at Lehigh, interviewed for his first Lehigh University position in 1999, then-Provost Nelson G. Markley asked, “Where could Lehigh be in five years under your leadership?” Hunter—who at the time worked in a role that served the United Nations—said he believed within five years, Lehigh could be an accredited nongovernmental organization (NGO) at the U.N. Just over five years later, Lehigh became only the sixth university to ever attain NGO status, and the Lehigh University/United Nations (LU/UN) Partnership was born. This academic year, it celebrated its 20th anniversary. Over the past two decades, the Partnership has provided opportunities for all Lehigh University students, faculty and staff to gain skills necessary to become successful global Future Makers by engaging with the U.N. in meaningful ways. The U.N. as a Classroom Each year more than 1,000 Lehigh faculty, staff and students attend U.N. conferences, high-level briefings and private meetings with ambassadors and other U.N. officials in New York City and on campus. Students can engage the U.N. through the United Nations Youth Representative Program, which matches U.N.-accredited NGOs with high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students who serve that NGO’s voice at the U.N. They can also engage through internships, class trips, faculty research presentations, the UNA- Lehigh Student Club and more. Andrew Ward, a professor in the management department, regularly takes MBA students to the U.N. as part of his “Societal Shifts” class to understand the intersection of business and the U.N.’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). “We also bring U.N. personnel to Lehigh to engage with students, offering insights into global issues,” Ward said. “We also set up a scholarship for U.N. personnel to join Lehigh’s MBA program, bringing diverse perspectives to the classroom.” The Partnership has hosted visits to campus from many U.N. officials over the years, including Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya in 2024. Shaping Careers Nur-e Rahman Freedman ’04 was one of the students who went to the U.N. the day Lehigh received its NGO accreditation. She interned at the U.N. and went on to work at Google, primarily focusing on rebranding efforts and change management. In 2023, she began her own consulting company, Kerning Strategies. She described the LU/UN partnership as a foundational experience that helped shape her career. “Getting exposure to these world leaders at such a young age, being in the room where it’s happening and organizing NGOs from all across the world—it’s just a remarkable experience,” she said.—Colin McEvoy GLOBAL LU/UN Partnership Celebrates 20th Anniversary The Partnership has opened doors for the Lehigh community to engage with global leaders. 1,000+ Lehigh students, faculty and staff engage with the U.N. through the LU/UN Partnership each year 20+ Lehigh professors have presented their research at the U.N. 6th Lehigh was only the 6th university to ever attain nongovernmental organization (NGO) status at the U.N. 30 Lehigh students have directly engaged with U.N. Ambassadors from more than 30 countries 6 missions at the U.N. have worked with Lehigh to add sustainability to their offices through the Greening the Blue initiative LU/UN PARTNERSHIP BY THE NUMBERS
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