In March, Wright State’s Model United Nations (UN) traveled to New York City to compete against universities representing 46 different countries. For the 34th year, WSU received an Outstanding Delegation recognition–one of only 20 colleges who received the honor.
“We competed against 149 universities from all around the world and won the Outstanding Delegation award, which is the top award,” said Julia Stidham, a WSU Model UN delegate. In addition, WSU delegates received seven committee awards for their Outstanding Position Papers—Security Council, Human Rights Council, UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Habitat, Commission on the Status of Women, General Assembly First Committee, and General Assembly Fourth Committee.
Wright State represented Italy in the conference, and Will Scott, a WSU delegate, represented India on the Security Council. For the national conference, WSU delegates focused on connecting Italian policies to EU (European Union) policies.
While in New York, the delegates also met with the legal advisor to the Italian Mission, who provided team members with insight to real Italian policy and its interaction with the UN and EU.
“The purpose of Model United Nations is to expand students’ knowledge of foreign relations and teach them diplomacy skills,” explained Stidham. The webpage for WSU’s Model UN says that Model UN is “open to students from all majors and colleges and of any class standing.”
Model UN is built around a Political Science Seminar, PLS 4860/6860, which emphasizes technical writer, researching, and public speaking. Delegates are chosen to participate based on a written application and an oral interview. Faculty advisors for the team are Donna Schlagheck, Ph.D., political science chair, and Vaughn Shannon, Ph.D., associate professor of political science.
For more information about WSU’s Model UN or its National Conference winning streak, visit http://www.wright.edu/cola/Dept/pls/mun/.
