Model UN Team Takes Home Three Student Awards
The University’s Model United Nations (MUN) Team won overall Best Delegation at the London MUN contest during the annual meeting on Feb. 25, competing against over 1,500 students from over 100 universities. The team beat Imperial College London and New York University, which placed second and third, respectively.
Eight University students attended the competition, including team captain and senior Prachi Patel and senior Liz Carmines, juniors Justin Dritschel, Emma O’Rourke, Liam Coffey, and Pablo Catano, and sophomores James Hawk and Mackenzie Ricca, along with faculty advisor Ken Mitchell, Ph.D. The group travelled to the United Kingdom on Feb. 23 to compete in the London-based conference. All competing students except Catano, who is undeclared, are political science students.
With attendees from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America, the London Conference is the largest, most competitive MUN contest held outside of the United States. Other competing schools included Oxford University and the London School of Economics, among many others.
At the conference, Individual Best Delegate awards were earned by Patel, Hawk, and Ricca for their performance debating, negotiating, and writing policy resolutions.
The conference took place over the duration of three days. Participants represented different countries and competed in policy committees of approximately 70 students. Within their committees, students worked to negotiate and write policy resolutions in order to resolve international challenges—such as economic development, poverty, terrorism, civil wars, refugees, deforestation, human rights, post-conflict reconstruction, and natural disaster responses, among many other topics.
The conference took place over the duration of three days. Participants represented different countries and competed in policy committees of approximately 70 students. Within their committees, students worked to negotiate and write policy resolutions in order to resolve international challenges—such as economic development, poverty, terrorism, civil wars, refugees, deforestation, human rights, post-conflict reconstruction, and natural disaster responses, among many other topics.
At the conference, Monmouth University students represented the countries of Switzerland, Nigeria, Congo, and Honduras. Seven of the eight University students present contributed to successful policy resolutions, often as a resolution’s main author.
“With this being my last conference, I couldn’t be happier with the results,” said Patel, who also serves as President of the Model UN Club on campus. “Winning a best delegation award represented the long hours and effort the team put in. Everyone spent hours doing research, and I am very proud of the team’s overall effort. Everyone helped each other out and worked as a collective unit.”
Patel added that she is excited for the team to grow on campus after its latest victory; however, “It is bittersweet that this was my last year as captain.” She said, “I am also very grateful for all the friends I’ve made because of MUN.”
Mitchell said that the team’s victory in London is an “Amazing accomplishment for the Model UN Team.”
Mitchell assisted the team in their preparation, along with Kevin Dooley, Ph.D., an associate professor of political science. “Hours and hours of preparation and hard work paid off,” he said. “[Monmouth University] students can compete academically at the highest level.”
The MUN team has competed at three contests this academic year. In April 20 Monmouth University students will compete at conference at New York University.
PHOTOS COURTESY of Liz Carmines
