2017-2018
Baylor Model UN recognized at ViMUN in Vienna, Austria
July 2017
7 Baylor University students participated in the Vienna International Model United Nations Conference (ViMUN), which was held at the Vienna International Centre United Nations Headquarters.
Baylor University students received the top award of "Outstanding Delegate" in 3 of the 5 committees simulated at the conference:
- General Assembly First: Matt Walker, representing the United Kingdom (Junior, University Scholars)
- World Trade Organization: Sahir Amlani, representing India (Senior, Political Science & History)
- UNODC-CCPJ: Ben Hunt representing the Islamic Republic of Iran (Sophomore, University Scholars).
In addition, three other Baylor students were named "Honorable Mention" in their committees, the second highest award. These students are: UNODC-CCPJ: Bailey Craig representing Guatemala (Junior, Psychology and Spanish) Human Rights Council :
- Grecia Sarda representing Belgium (Senior, International Studies), 1st Honorable Mention
- David Deulofeu representing Germany (Senior, Political Science), 2nd Honorable Mention
While at the conference, the students also had the privilege to meet with representatives of the United States Mission to the UN in Vienna. The US-UN Mission interviewed our students and posted clips on their social media. This was the first conference that Baylor Model UN has attended outside the United States, and the team is very grateful to the College of Arts & Sciences and the Department of Political Science for the financial support that made this trip possible.
Baylor Students Participate in American Model United Nations Conference
November 2017
15 Baylor undergraduates traveled to Chicago, IL to participate in the 28th annual American Model United Nations Conference (www.amun.org) held on November 18-21. Leading up to the conference, the students spent three months researching as well as honing their technical writing, public speaking, and negotiation skills to prepare for their role representing Belgium in nine different contemporary and historical committees. At the meeting, Baylor students worked alongside more than 1,500 delegates representing more than 150 Member States in simulated committee sessions. In these committees students took on the role of diplomats, striving to reach broad consensus on solutions to contemporary international problems including:
-
“A world against violence and violent extremism” (General Assembly Plenary)
-
“Women, disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control” (General Assembly First Committee)
-
“Sustainable development – disaster risk reduction” (General Assembly Second Committee)
-
“Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons” (General Assembly Third Committee)
-
“Bridging digital divides” (World Summit on the Information Society +10)
-
“Assistance and protection against chemical weapons” (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons).
In addition to work on these contemporary topics, Baylor students also participated in select historical and special committees, exploring themes including:
-
United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (Commission of Inquiry of 1948)
-
The situations in Palestine, Egypt, Algeria, and China (Historical Security Council of 1956)
-
“Maritime Delimination in the Indian Ocean” (Somalia v. Republic of Kenya, International Court of Justice).
While the primary purpose of these conferences is educational, and the tone is intended to be collaborative rather than competitive, it is customary for conferences to confer “Outstanding Delegation” awards on individuals and teams in recognition of excellence in preparation and work at conference. At the American Model United Nations Conference, this recognition is made based upon peer voting. In four of the seven committees in which Baylor students participated where individual recognition was given, students were named Outstanding Delegations by their peers. The students receiving individual recognition at the conference were:
-
Codi Nguyen (Sophomore, Political Science) and Youshay Rizvi (Senior, International Studies) for their work in General Assembly Plenary
-
Joseph De Mond (Senior, Political Science) and Sam Howell (Junior, Medical Humanities) for their work in General Assembly First
-
Luis Torres (Junior, Neuroscience) and Matthew Walker (Junior, University Scholar) for their work in Historical Security Council 1958
-
Cat Haseman (Junior, University Scholar) for her work in OPCW
In addition to this individual peer recognition, Baylor’s two student leaders participated in select committees, in which individual awards were not conferred. Rather, the committees chose to honor the work of the entire body in keeping with the educational mission of the simulation. Those students working in the select committees were:
-
Sahir Amlani, Assistant Head Delegate (Senior, Political Science & History) – International Court of Justice
-
Bailey Craig, Head Delegate (Junior, Psychology & Spanish) – Commission on Inquiry of 1948
While we celebrate awards and are honored when our students’ hard work is recognized by the peers and staff of the conferences we attend, the educational value of these simulations is the foremost reward and benefit of Model United Nations. Grace Bregard, senior Political Science Major, who represented Baylor in WSIS +10, wrote, “The AMUN Chicago Conference was such a great experience for me because it made everything I’ve been studying in undergrad and put it into real world application. Researching an interesting topic in depth and looking into how other nations would solve a common issue was fascinating, and collaborating with others at conference was a great way to learn about how the UN actually functions as a body.”
The Baylor Model United Nations program wouldn’t be successful without the support of the Political Science Department and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Baylor MUN Hosts and Participates in the 4th Annual TexMUN Conference
February 2018
Baylor MUN hosted the 4th Annual Texas Model United Nations Conference. The Osgood Center for International Studies facilitated the conference, which brought together approximately 100 students from around Texas and Mexico to discuss topics related to global peace and development. At the conference, Baylor University represented six Member States: Belgium, China, Iceland, Japan, Ukraine, and Viet Nam. The topics our students researched in advance and debated at the conference included:
- Curbing the Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons
- Combatting Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones
- Balancing Tourism and Prevention in World Heritage Sites
- Education and Science for Agriculture in Africa
- Preventing Terrorist Acquisition of Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Crisis Management in Failed or Fragile Nascent States
- Sustainable Growth and Fair Trade in APEC Member Economics
At these conferences, delegates work together to formulate proposals that can be passed with a consensus vote; thus, the tone and spirit of Model UN conferences is one of collaboration rather than cutthroat competition. Conferences confer awards on individuals and teams in recognition of excellence in preparation and work at conference, and at TexMUN awards are based both on staff and peer voting.
Below we provide the entire list of conference award winners, highlighting Baylor students’ achievements. In addition, we are proud to recognize two Baylor alumni who served as chairs at the conference in GA 1 (Eric Vining ’16) and UNESCO (Kate Farley ’17) and Professor Charles North of the Economics Department, who gave the opening keynote address.
TexMUN 2018 Awards
Delegation Awards – Staff Awards
Outstanding
China — Baylor University
- Sahir Amlani (Senior, Political Science & History)
- Kim Andrade (Senior Political Science)
- Bailey Craig (Junior, Psychology & Spanish)
- Joseph De Mond (Senior, Political Science)
- Ben Hunt (Sophomore, University Scholars)
- Grecia Sarda (Senior, Political Science)
- Kyle Smith (Sophomore, University Scholars)
Japan — Baylor University
- Grace Bregard (Senior, Political Science)
- David Deulofeu (Senior, Political Science)
- Chris Hines (Junior, Political Science)
- Sam Howell (Junior, Medical Humanities)
- Dalilah Negrete (Senior, Political Science)
- Zane Zovak (Junior, International Studies)
United Kingdom – UT Dallas
Distinguished
Philippines – UT Arlington
Russian Federation – Texas A & M
Ukraine – Baylor University
- Katherine Terminella (Freshman, Political Science)
- Luis Torres (Junior, Neuroscience)
Viet Nam – Baylor University
- Jonathan Chew (Freshman, Business Fellows)
- Andres Cruz (Junior, French & International Studies)
- Chris Gonzalez (Junior, International Studies & Economics)
- Codi Nguyen (Junior, Political Science)
Honorable Mention
Bolivia – New Tech, Laredo
Ethiopia – UT Matamoros
Germany – Texas A & M
Italy – New Tech, Odessa
United States of America – Lee College
Outstanding Delegate in Committee – Peer Awards
APEC
China – Baylor University
- Kim Andrade (Senior Political Science)
GA 1
Germany – Texas A & M
Security Council (tie)
China – Baylor University
- Sahir Amlani (Senior, Political Science & History)
- Bailey Craig (Junior, Psychology & Spanish)
Ukraine – Baylor University
- Luis Torres (Junior, Neuroscience)
UNESCO (tie)
Japan – Baylor University
- Grace Bregard (Senior, Political Science)
- Zane Zovak (Junior, International Studies)
United Kingdom – UT Dallas
Outstanding Position Papers – Staff Awards
APEC
Japan – Baylor University
- Chris Hines (Junior, Political Science)
Viet Nam – Baylor University
- Jonathan Chew (Freshman, Business Fellows)
GA 1
Japan – Baylor University
- Sam Howell (Junior, Medical Humanities)
- Dalilah Negrete (Senior, Political Science)
United Kingdom – UT Dallas
Viet Nam – Baylor University
- Chris Gonzalez (Junior, International Studies & Economics)
- Codi Nguyen (Junior, Political Science)
Security Council
China – Baylor University
- Sahir Amlani (Senior, Political Science & History)
- Bailey Craig (Junior, Psychology & Spanish)
Japan – Baylor University
- David Deulofeu (Senior, Political Science)
Ukraine – Baylor University
- Luis Torres (Junior, Neuroscience)
UNESCO
China – Baylor University
- Grecia Sarda (Senior, Political Science)
- Kyle Smith (Sophomore, University Scholars)
Japan – Baylor University
- Grace Bregard (Senior, Political Science)
- Zane Zovak (Junior, International Studies)
United Kingdom – UT Dallas
Baylor Model UN Named an “Outstanding Delegation” and breaks team record for individual awards at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York City, NY
March 2018
16 Baylor University undergraduates traveled to New York to attend the National Model United Nations Conference. Nearly 3,000 students from approximately 100 nations participated in the week-long conference, where students simulate the work of a diplomat in the United Nations. This was the second week-long simulation facilitated by the National Model United Nations organization in New York, which hosts four collegiate conferences each year, two in New York, one in Washington, D.C., and one outside of the U.S. At NMUN-NY (Week B) Baylor’s team represented Iceland in 8 committee, serving as delegates in simulated sessions of the United Nations General Assembly Committees (GA), the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the Commission for Social Development (CSocD), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
At the 2018 conference, Baylor MUN broke a team record for the most awards received in the 10 years we have attended this conference. The team was named an “Outstanding Delegation” by the conference staff; this is the highest team award given at the conference. In addition, Baylor University students were named Outstanding Delegation in Committee by their peers in 5 of the 8 committees in which they participated; this is the highest individual award and marks the most individual awards the team has ever received at a national conference. Two of the delegations also received Outstanding Position Paper Awards for the researched policy memo they submitted approximately one month in advance of the conference. Those students who received individual recognition in committee or for their research on the position paper are listed below along with a full team roster. We are also proud of our fellow Big 12 schools for their accomplishments at the conference. West Virginia University was named a Distinguished Delegation for their representation of Japan and Malawi, and Texas Christian University (Iran) and Texas Tech (Thailand) were both named Honorable Mention Delegations.
While the team is delighted to have received recognition from both the conference staff as well as their peer delegates, the educational experience is the true reward of any experiential learning conference. It is also important to note that the environment at MUN conferences is, above all, collaborative, rewarding delegates who cooperate in the interest of writing resolutions that can be adopted “by acclamation,” with the unanimous support of the body. Zane Zovak (Junior, International Studies; co-Outstanding Delegate in OPCW) captures the spirit of the event well, noting: “The universal applause and congratulations that follow passed resolutions personifies the collaborative spirit of NMUN and serve as a symbol of how individuals from a multitude of backgrounds can work together to achieve change in the world.” Codi Nguyen (Junior, Political Science; co-Outstanding Delegate in GA 3) adds,
- “NMUN completely opened my eyes. It was illuminating to see how three hundred young people with little group-work experience could come together, pool their ideas, and come up with solutions to real world problems. . . . The skill of hearing a person out, finding common ground with them, and creating something agreeable will stick with me for the rest of my life. Because in the end, taking ideas from both sides of an argument creates something that transcends controversy - the art of which, in my opinion, is only learned by practicing diplomacy.”
The conference provided our students with the opportunity to practice diplomacy and apply the knowledge and skills they develop in their classrooms and extracurricular experiences to simulated professional environments. Sahir Amlani (Senior, Political Science & History; co-Outstanding Delegate in OPCW; Baylor’s Assistant Head Delegate) said of his work in OPCW:
- “Over the course of the NMUN conference I grew as a leader and communicator because I had the opportunity to work with other students from all over the world. In this setting we had to create inclusive solutions to world issues in a way that all countries could support. Through this experience not only did I learn about the pressing issues of the OPCW, but I also gained an understanding about the importance of compromise in negotiations.”
Through preparing for and participating in a Model UN conference, Baylor students develop research, public speaking, technical writing, and small-group negotiation skills. For this particular conference, our students became experts in Iceland’s diplomatic stance and immersed themselves in learning about the challenges the international community faces as it attempts to solve some of the most pressing contemporary issues in global security, human rights, development, and sustainability, including:
- Measures to Strengthen International Counter-Terrorism Efforts (General Assembly 1st)
- The Role of Urbanization in Sustainable Development (General Assembly 2nd)
- Ensuring Equitable Access to Education (General Assembly 3rd)
- Strengthening Compliance and Accountability in Field Missions with Special Regard to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Cases (General Assembly 5th)
- Climate Change and Inequality (CSocD)
- The Impact of Pollution on Marine Life (IAEA)
- The Complete Eradication of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
- Addressing Climate Migration and Cross-Border Disaster Displacement (IOM)
Samantha Howell (Junior, Medical Humanities; co-Outstanding Delegate in IOM) summarized the experience well:
- “Attending NMUN was such an amazing experience. This conference allowed me to think about today’s most pressing concerns from a global perspective and work with students from other schools, including many international students, to formulate practical solutions. Doing in-depth research and then applying that research to the conference simulation was a great learning experience.”
For a full list of conference topics as well as more information about the conference, including the full list of participating schools and award winners in both weeks A and B, visit: www.nmun.org
Baylor’s Model UN Team is grateful for the support that the faculty and administration provide to the team and for the financial support provided by the Department of Political Science and College of Arts and Sciences, in particular. In November 2018 the team travels to Chicago, representing South Africa at the American Model United Nations.
Outstanding Delegations in Committee
GA 1st: Ben Hunt (Sophomore, University Scholars) & Clay Parham (Junior, International Studies)
GA 3rd Codi Nguyen (Junior, Political Science) & Grecia Sarda (Senior, Political Science)
CSocD: Kim Andrade (Senior, Political Science) & Dalilah Negrete (Senior, Political Science)
IOM : Bailey Craig, Head Delegate (Junior, Psychology & Spanish) & Sam Howell (Junior, Medical Humanities)
OPCW: Sahir Amlani, Assistant Head Delegate (Senior, Political Science & History) & Zane Zovak (Junior, International Studies)
Outstanding Position Paper Awards
GA 1st: Ben Hunt (Sophomore, University Scholars) & Clay Parham (Junior, International Studies)
In addition to the students who represented Baylor at conference, other team members in the class and club also provided assistance on the paper for GA 1:
- David Deulofeu (Senior, Political Science) – Research Assistance, Topic 2; represented the team in UNEA.
- Wafa Demashkiah (Junior, Political Science) – Research and Writing Assistance, Topic 3.
CSocD: Kim Andrade (Senior, Political Science) & Dalilah Negrete (Senior, Political Science)
In addition to the students who represented Baylor at conference, other team members in the class and club provided assistance on the paper for CSocD:
- Jeshua Gonzalez (Senior, International Studies) – Research Assistance, Topic 1
- Chris Hines (Junior, Political Science) – Research Assistance, Topic 2
Outstanding Delegation
