Two USC students have been given the opportunity to represent the global youth and have their voices heard on an international stage through the International Forum We, the Youth (IFWY).
Eleanor McMakin, a fourth-year finance student, and Dan Contreras, a third-year economics student, were chosen by peers through IFWY. The forum, run by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, will allow the two to travel the world, meeting with global leaders and helping to make a change.
The program began in July 2025, when participants submitted an online policy proposal, McMakin said. From there, 27,000 US applicants read and commented on each other's proposals. Fifty candidates were peer-selected and sent to the national conference in New York City. These chosen individuals were given the title of Catalysts and served as keynote speakers.
Twenty-five of those attendees were then chosen as Explorers. These individuals were given the opportunity to travel to an international conference held in Seoul, South Korea, to develop a global policy recommendation and meet with Catalysts from other regions.
From there, 48 individuals from around the world were selected to serve as Navigators, making them ambassadors of IFWY. McMakin said this proposal, written by Explorers, will be presented at the UN General Assembly.
Contreras and McMakin were chosen to be Navigators. As a result, they will have the opportunity to travel and attend global events, such as the UN World Summit. This will also allow them to meet with international leaders and have their voices heard.
"It gives us that seat at the table for us to actually implement these policies and get the youth voices heard," McMakin said.
Both Contreras and McMakin discovered IFWY while in Spur-ing Debate, USC's only debate club. They were introduced to the program after Debate Korea, the largest debate competition in South Korea, reached out and held a meeting to discuss the program. Soon after this meeting, Contreras and McMakin decided to publish their policy proposals.
Applicants had several topics to choose from for their proposals. Contreras wrote under the category of Social Justice and Equality, discussing the undermining of human rights for immigrants.
"It’s something that I'm pretty passionate about and what I want to research more and then hopefully in the future be able to help out with in some way," Contreras said.
McMakin decided to write about the topic of Economic Transformation. She titled her proposal "Reimagining Government Debt for Economic Stability and Public Trust." She said her goal was to find a way for governments to become self-sufficient and help them implement changes without relying on donors. She seeks an approach that will motivate countries to implement crucial policies that benefit their citizens.
Contreras said he was able to consider other perspectives and share his own experiences to form a policy. The program interested him because it provided a space for him and other individuals to discuss social and political issues affecting their communities, Contreras said.
"It means having connections and a space where you feel listened to and supported," Contreras said. "Even the whole thing being funded or having guest speakers that you can connect with just puts us in the seats of the policymakers."
As a USC student, Contreras has participated in a variety of classes, such as religion, language and economics courses. This has helped to broaden his perspectives and motivate him to learn and grow more, according to Contreras. Contreras' advisor has also helped him in his work to become a Navigator.
"He's been helpful in motivating me and encouraging me to keep trying new things and growing as a whole," Contreras said.
McMakin, a student in the Darla Moore School of Business, said she was able to work on global internationalization before joining IFWY. McMakin said she was able to learn valuable networking and communication skills that helped prepare her for the experience.
McMakin said her policy relates to her honors thesis and is one of the reasons she decided to join the Darla Moore School of Business. She said this was her dream job and that she was passionate about the change her policy was making and the job she was doing. She also hopes to meet with leadership at the International Monetary Fund, as her policy relates to the organization's work.
Both students expressed gratitude for the time they spent with IFWY. They were both able to learn about the perspectives of others and gain a deeper understanding of themselves, McMakin said.
The program also provided them with a space to discuss both social and political issues that affect them and their communities. It allowed them to think of solutions and gain support from their peers, Contreras said.
"Overall, the experience has been very eye-opening for me," Contreras said. "It kind of got me out of a sort of bubble and perspective of where I was standing and allowed me to see and consider other perspectives, other goals and wants people have as well."