On Friday, February 17th, a handful of selected Honors students with interests in Political Science attended a simulation of Model Illinois Government (MIG) at Prairie State College. A nervous excitement sat heavy in the air as students slowly rolled into the room where the event would occur. As we chatted over coffee, bagels, and fruit we shared our varying anticipation about what was to come. Soon enough, the simulation was ready to begin and Andy Schott, a Professor of Political Science at Prairie State College, took to the front of the room to explain the event, what we would be doing, and most importantly- the fun we would have if we were truly committed to the experience.
From Professor Schott, we learned that MIG is a simulation of parliamentary procedure, bill analysis, and parliamentary debate. Throughout the first hour of our time together, we were prepared to play various legislative positions such as legislators, executive officers, lobbyists, journalists, budget analysts, and other party leadership positions. These are similar legislative roles as those in the annual Model Illinois Government (MIG) competition. Then, as students role-playing legislators, we were assigned a political party and entered into a debate!
The first bill we debated was a Republican-crafted bill, HB5902, which was an amendment to previous legislation on firework regulation in Illinois. As Republicans, we crafted an argument grounded in economic reasoning whereas students who were role-playing Democrats emphasized the role of government in public health and safety initiatives. Despite a loss on the Republican side, it was our first attempt at putting our initial learning to the test. Over the rest of the day, students had the opportunity to play various legislative positions and political parties in order to debate bills HB4848 (A bill amending the Liquor Control Act of 1934) and HB0024 (A bill amending the School Code).
By the end of the simulation, students reflected on the experiential learning opportunity, grounded in state and local government, that they got to partake in. Not only did we as students become familiarized with the practical complexities of state government, but we were intimately introduced to formal debate and expression. Through teamwork and problem-solving exercises, we got to engage in critical thought as part of a collective of peers from other institutions in an academic context.
