2023-2024
Baylor Students are “Outstanding” at NMUN-DC
On November 9-12, sixteen members of Baylor’s Model United Nations Team traveled to Washington, D.C. for the National Model United Nations Conference, which brought together more than 900 college students from five continents for a fast-paced simulation of eight United Nations Committees. Baylor’s team represented Japan in all eight of the conference committees, researching and drafting resolutions alongside students from universities around the world to address topics related to international security, human rights, and development. The topics chosen for focused debate at conference were:
- The Role of Information and Communication Technologies, and Cybersecurity in the Illicit Trade of Arms (General Assembly First),
- The Preservation of Culture and Intangible Cultural Heritage (General Assembly Third),
- Building Tools for Resilience to Protect the World’s Oceans (United Nations Environment Assembly),
- Urbanization and a Growing Human Population (Commission on Population and Development),
- Reviewing the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Economic and Social Council),
- Implementing the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 (Food and Agriculture Organization),
- Building Resilience to Crises and Socks (United Nations Development Programme); and
- Peace and Security in Eastern Europe and the Caucuses (Security Council).
As a result of their work at the conference, the students on Baylor’s team were named an overall Outstanding Delegation by conference staff, which is the highest team award given at Model UN conferences and reflects the work the team did across all eight committees while at conference. In addition to this team award, nearly every member of Baylor’s team received individual recognition with some delegates receiving multiple awards. The team received Outstanding Position Paper Awards in four out of the eight committees for research submitted in advance of the conference and received Outstanding Delegation Awards in six out of the eight committees in which it participated, which are peer-nominated awards based on work done at conference. This breaks a previous team record of 5 total of Outstanding Delegation Awards, which the team earned at both the 2023 and 2019 NMUN-NY conferences.
The full list of award winners is provided below, but the true reward of any Model UN conference is the educational and professional experience afforded by simulation as well as the research completed in advance to prepare for the intense schedule of conference events. Senior Political Science Major and December 2023 graduate Jesse Drapela shared:
I was able to work with students from all over the world who share a passion for diplomacy, research, and consensus building. I was able to practice public speaking and writing in a professional setting and get valuable feedback. I gained invaluable skills in NMUN that will be useful in my post grad plans after Baylor.
Sophomore Physics Major Brianna Uptain, echoed this enthusiasm, writing about the conference, which was her first as a team member:
The unique parameters of Model UN create situations where nearly a thousand young people gather to practice a high level of professionalism and interpersonal skills. It can get wild in session, but it ultimately facilitates a beautiful thing – the next generation cumulatively acknowledging their rule as a member of the global community and understanding that it matters.
This conference caps an exciting calendar year for Baylor’s Model UN team and kicks off an academic year that will see the team embark on new experiences for the National Model United Nations Conference in New York. In March, 15 Baylor students will partner with 9 students from Japan Model United Nations as a co-delegation. Together Baylor MUN and Japan MUN will represent France in 12 committees. Baylor MUN and Japan MUN began planning for the conference in the summer of 2023 and have been working together via Zoom since August. The teams will continue collaborating through Zoom until March, when the Japan MUN team will travel to Waco to spend time visiting Baylor and working with our team before the two groups travel together to New York.
Baylor’s Model UN Team is grateful for the support it receives from the Department of Political Science and the College of Arts and Sciences, which makes attendance at these conferences possible. For more information about our team, follow us on Instagram (baylormodelun) or Facebook (Baylor Model United Nations).
Individual Award Winners
Outstanding Position Paper Award Winners
GA 3: Alani Burke (Senior, International Studies), Jesse Drapela (Senior, Political Science), and Diego Hernandez (Senior, International Studies)
CPD: Krishna Nair (Senior, Political Science), Katie Turner (Freshman, International Studies), Bri Uptain (Sophomore, Physics), and Darcey Warne (Junior, University Scholar)
UNDP: Devon Bolton (Junior, International Studies) and Lilia Kasten (Sophomore, Business Fellows)
UNEA: Lead Authors: Paige Feild (Junior, Political Science) and Isabella Zarate (Co-Head Delegate, Junior, International Studies & Environmental Studies); Contributing Authors: Ainsley Peterson (Junior, Environmental Studies & Political Science), Madeline Owens (Sophomore, Political Science), Noah Valsecchi (Sophomore, Political Science)
Students Who Provided Editorial Assistance to Winning Papers:
The team is also grateful to the following club members who provided editorial assistance during the drafting process:
Izzy De La Hoz Estrada (Senior, Math)
Aubrey Gilliam (Senior, University Scholar)
Omar Islam (Senior, Economics & Political Science)
Cathleen Scura (MA in American Studies)
Outstanding Delegates in Committee
GA 3: Alani Burke (Senior, International Studies) and Jesse Drapela (Senior, Political Science)
CPD: Katie Turner (Freshman, International Studies) and Darcey Warne (Junior, University Scholar)
ECOSOC: Tori Jones (Co-Assistant Head Delegate, Junior, International Studies) and Grayson Shirey (PR Chair, Junior, International Studies & French)
FAO: Bradon Lazarov (Junior, Health Science Studies) and Bri Uptain (Sophomore, Physics)
UNDP: Devon Bolton (Junior, International Studies) and Lilia Kasten (Sophomore, Business Fellows)
Security Council: Krish Kothari (Co-Head Delegate, Senior, Political Science) and Isabella Zarate (Co-Head Delegate, Junior, International Studies & Environmental Studies)