By Rebecca J. Flavin, lecturer in political science and Model UN advisor
On April 8-14, 2017, Baylor University undergraduates traveled to New York to attend the National Model United Nations Conference. Each year, the two week-long NMUN-NY conferences host nearly 5,000 students from more than 100 nations around the world. At these conferences, students participate in a simulation of the United Nations, and the conference culminates with a much-anticipated visit to the United Nations Headquarters. As part of this article you will see a photo of some Baylor students posing on the General Assembly floor at the closing session of the conference.
The Baylor team represented the nation of Myanmar (also known as Burma) in six committees as well as representing the Russian Federation in the Security Council at the conference. They served as diplomats in simulated sessions of the United Nations General Assembly Committees (GA), the Security Council (SC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the High Level Political Forum (HLPF).
The conference enabled our students to take the knowledge and skills they acquire in Baylor’s classrooms and apply them to simulated experiences similar to those they will encounter in their post-graduate careers. Through preparing for and participating in a Model UN conference, our students develop research, public speaking, technical writing and small-group negotiation skills. For this particular conference, our students became experts in contemporary issues facing the international community that include:
- Global Nuclear Disarmament (General Assembly 1st)
- Harnessing the Green Economy to Eradicate Poverty (General Assembly 2nd)
- Improving Coordination in Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters and Other Emergencies (General Assembly 3rd)
- Youth Leadership and Education for Sustainable Development (HLPF)
- Implementation of the Paris Agreement (UNEA)
- Improving Science and Technology Activities through Technical Cooperation (IAEA)
- The Situation in Libya (SC)
A full list of conference topics, as well as more information about the conference, is available here.
While we should celebrate the educational experience above all, I am delighted to announce that the team of 12 students representing Myanmar was named an “Honorable Mention Delegation” by the conference staff. In addition, Baylor University received Outstanding Position Paper Awards in five of the seven committees in which we participated — an impressive total that equals the number of position paper awards the team received in the previous three years combined. Those students who contributed to researching, writing and editing the papers in class and club are:
- General Assembly 1 (Sahir Amlani*, Cassie Exum, Ashley Luong*, JD Merritt, Matt Walker*, Ryan Weaver)
- General Assembly 3 (Kim Andrade, Jessica Chapa*, Rebecca Liu, Dalilah Negrete, Grecia Sarda*, Kylie Smith, Jackie Wittry)
- High Level Political Forum (Tutu Adeyeni, Caroline Caywood*, Katie Galgano, Carolina Gutierrez, Ben Hunt*, Dustin Jaoude)
- United Nations Environment Assembly (David Deulofeu*, Cat Haseman*, Diana Le, Omar Mosqueda, Macy Munz, Joe Yope*)
- Security Council (Kate Farley*, Megan Rollag*)
*Denotes traveling team member.
The Model United Nations program, along with Baylor’s other nationally recognized experiential learning programs — including Mock Trial, the Model Organization of American States and Moot Court — each contribute to achievement of Baylor’s Pro Futuris aspirations of providing transformational educational experiences that foster informed engagement for our students. What an embarrassment of riches we have, and what a pleasure it is to work with these amazing students!
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Group photo at top:
Front row (L to R)
Hannah Miller, senior, finance
Grecia Sarda, senior, political science
Bailey Craig, sophomore, Baylor MUN Assistant Head Delegate; pre-psychology
Caroline Caywood, senior, international studies and French
Megan Rollag, Baylor MUN Head Delegate; senior, Spanish and international studies
Catherine Haseman, Sophomore, University Scholars
Ashley Luong, senior, political science
Back row (L to R)
Sahir Amlani, junior, political science and history
Matt Walker, sophomore, University Scholar
Jessica Chapa, senior, political science
Joe Yope, junior, international studies
Ben Hunt, freshman, University Scholar
Kate Farley, Baylor MUN Assistant Head Delegate; senior, University Scholar
David Deulofeu, junior, political science