Illinois State’s Model United Nations team was recently recognized as an Honorable Mention Delegation at the end of the annual National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference.
A group of 12 Department of Politics and Government students led by faculty advisor Noha Shawki participated in the NMUN conference in New York City on April 9–13, 2017. The students who participated in the Model UN program this year are: Sarah Aye, Ethan Davis, Brendon Hennessy, Caroline Kernan, Xochil Lopez, Grace Luthy, Lily Montesdeoca, Morgen Snyder, Billy Stripeik, Marques Thornton, Hailey True, and Aleksandra Wolan.
Illinois State’s delegation represented Niger on six different committees, and each student researched a number of global issues. These issues included harnessing the green economy to eradicate poverty, improving coordination in humanitarian response to natural disasters and other emergencies, youth leadership and education for sustainable development, and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Besides researching a variety of global issues and Niger’s policy positions, students also studied the UN’s rules of procedure.
The Honorable Mention recognition marks the fourth year in a row the ISU team has won national recognition. Shawki notes that the award reflects students’ deep knowledge of the global issues they debated with other delegates, their correct application of the rules of procedure, and their leadership in proposing creative solutions to critical global problems and in drafting working papers jointly with other delegates and working to create consensus around these working papers.
