Wright State’s Model United Nations team wins top award at national conference

Wright State’s Model U.N. team received an Outstanding Delegation Award and eight students won individual awards at the 2024 National Model United Nations Conference in New York City.

Wright State University’s Model United Nations program has once again won the highest team honor at the National Model U.N. Conference in New York City.

Representing Spain, Wright State’s Model U.N. team received an Outstanding Delegation Award at the 2024 conference, which attracted nearly 180 colleges and universities from around the world on March 24–28.

This is the 44th consecutive year that Wright State has won a team delegation award at the National Model U.N. Conference.

Eight Wright State students also received individual awards at this year’s conference.

Winners of Outstanding Paper Award Awards:

• Coen Lucas, an economics major, and Merve Hanzade Aslan, a graduate biomedical engineering student: General Assembly, 2nd Committee
• Randall Bierman, a psychology major, and Misker Dressie, a political science major: Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Winners of Peer Awards for Outstanding Delegates in Committee:

• Murphy Vanbalen and Jerryd Jones, political science majors: International Atomic Energy Agency
• Chloe Johnston and Reyes Cooper, history majors: U.N. Refugee Agency

The team’s faculty advisors are Vaughn Shannon, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of the Master of Arts in International and Comparative Politics program, and Liam Anderson, Ph.D., professor of political science.

“This year had a particularly large number of first-year students, who performed expertly under the mentorship of our excellent veteran delegates,” Shannon said. “We’re proud of this team and our organization, both of which demonstrate a commitment to excellence, diversity and inclusion.”

The team was led by head delegates Marwah Almuzoughi, an international studies major, and Destiny Mullen, a graduate international and comparative politics student.

Team members are Merve Hanzade Aslan, Randall Bierman, Reyes Cooper, Emanuela Doci, Misker Dressie, Eliza Hendrix, Molly Holloway, Preston Holton, Chloe Johnston, Jerryd Jones, Brad Klingbeil, Amana Koeller, Coen Lucas, Markus Perry, Chiara Stirpe and Murphy Vanbalen.

During the National Model United Nations conference, each participating university is assigned a country to represent. Students participate as delegates to various U.N. committees, researching and formulating political positions based on the policies of the countries they represent.

While at the conference, the Wright State team also participated in a briefing with the Spanish Mission to the United Nations.

Founded in 1970, Wright State’s Model United Nations program is open to students from all majors. Interested students interview in the fall and participate in a three-credit-hour political science class during Spring Semester.

Students learn the skills of teamwork, problem-solving, diplomacy, public speaking, technical writing and researching. They also learn how to implement a different country’s national and foreign policy, how to act in committee and what to expect from other countries at the conference.

Learn more about Wright State’s award-winning Model United Nations program at wright.edu/modelun.

Wright State to host High School Model U.N. Conference

Wright State’s Model U.N. program will host its second annual High School Model United Nations Conference on Saturday, April 13, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Gandhi Auditorium in White Hall on the Dayton Campus.

Led by Wright State’s experienced faculty, students and alumni, the conference is open to area high school model U.N. clubs. The conference will feature one General Assembly and one Security Council.

Registration information is available on the Wright State website.