On Nov. 3-6, 2016 the Baylor Model Organization of American States (MOAS) team traveled to Texas State University in San Marcos to debate policies in the Western Hemisphere along with other universities from Texas, Louisiana and Mexico.

The 20th annual Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States Conference at Texas State included an academic conference, a mock trial competition as well as the model. The keynote speaker was the Organization of American States (OAS) Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Nestor Mendez. James F. Creagan, former U.S. Ambassador to Honduras, and Floyd S. Cable, Diplomat in Residence at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, also addressed the model.

During 23 hours of competition, Baylor students represented Chile and Brazil and presented and defended resolutions that covered issues such as reducing violence against women, achieving universal access to basic health care, improving energy efficiency, combatting juvenile delinquency, promoting civil registration and setting budgetary priorities. Students were also tasked with resolving a historical crisis involving extrajudicial killings in Argentina in 1977. Teams had to report on how their country responded at the time and how they would respond with their current government.

Andrew Salinas (senior history major from Houston) served as president of the model and chaired the General Committee with the help of rapporteur Jesus Mario Rangel Valenzuela (junior biology major and pre-med from Monterrey, Mexico). May Atassi (junior business and finance major from Syria) and Emily Kleinberg (senior history major from Kempner) served as chair and rapporteur for the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development Committee (SEDI). Hannah Luce (junior accounting and supply chain management major from Golden, Colo.) was selected to serve on the 2017 Student Steering Committee. Jillian Anderson (2015 Baylor graduate and journalism major from Houston) was Secretary General. Parker Wooden (junior history major from Houston) was elected Secretary General for the 2017 model, making him the fourth Baylor student in a row to hold this position.

Other honors won by Baylor teams included:

• Outstanding Position Paper: Team Brazil under head delegate Gabriela McCormack (senior international studies major from Tucson, Ariz.)
• Distinguished Position Paper: Team Chile under head delegate Mucia Flores (senior political science and Great Texts major from Laredo). This marks the second year in a row that Baylor won both awards for position papers.
• Distinguished Ambassador: Brendan Smith (junior University Scholars major from Lees Summit, Mo.) This was the first time the judges have ever awarded this to a delegate outside the General Committee.
• Outstanding Rapporteur: Emily Kleinberg
• Outstanding Delegate from the Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy (SSD): Brendan Smith
• Outstanding Delegate from the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security (SMS): Parker Wooden
• Distinguished Delegate from the Secretariat for Administration and Finance (SAF): Hannah Luce
• Outstanding Written Resolution from SEDI: Maddy Abdallah (junior international studies major from Laredo)
• Distinguished Written Resolution from SSD: Clayton Jelinek, co-head delegate for Chile (junior international studies major from Broken Arrow, Okla.)
• Distinguished Written Resolution from SMS: Parker Wooden

Other students representing Brazil included: Nate Chinnery (junior international studies major from Corpus Chrisit, TX), Victoria Harrison (senior English major from Wellington, Fla.) Arianna Gomez, co-head delegate (senior public health major from Eagle Pass), Lawson Sadler (freshman University Scholars major from San Antonio), and Justin Plescha (senior history major from San Marcos). From Team Chile: Ross McLaughlin (junior political science major from Dallas), Rafael Silva Ramirez (sophomore international studies major from Queretaro, Mexico), Audrey Chisum (freshman political science major from Katy), Torin Peterson (junior Baylor Business Fellows major from Rapid City, S.D.) and Makayla Gorden (freshman political science major from Midland).

Joshua Hyles, who received his MA in history from Baylor in 2010, served as executive director for the model. Dr. Joan Supplee, The Ralph L. and Bessie Mae Lynn Professor of History and director of the Baylor Model Organization of American States Program, coached the Baylor teams and presented a paper at the academic conference on “Defending the First Pillar: Democracy and the OAS, 1990-2001.”