2008 Woodie Awards
Model U.N. Shines At Conference Last Month
Issue date: 4/15/05 Section: Press Releases
Because of the cost of sending a group of students to stay for a week at the conference hotel in New York City, the class had not been run for two years after a 16-year history (1986-2002). But with work from Professor Frederick Shiels, and a generous $2000 donation from Doris Buffett and the Sunshine Lady Foundation, Mercy College was able to reinstitute the Model United Nations class.
Model U.N. gives a definite edge to the college, bringing an intellectual sport that allows the students to think outside the box, feels the students in the class. Students learn the art of diplomacy, rhetoric and international understanding. Many successful and prominent people in society today have participated in the Model U. N., including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and actor Samuel L. Jackson.
This year, Mercy's team represented Grenada at the Model U.N. conference during the Spring Break. The team consists of a plethora of different ethnicities, making Mercy's team a United Nations in itself of sorts. At the conference, the Mercy team had the opportunity to engage in debates about international affairs with students from all over the world. Some of the topics were resource allocation for HIV/AIDS: prevention versus treatment and combating illicit drug trafficking and production within the organization of American states, plus legal aspects of war and occupation.
Just like the real United Nations, students were able to caucus, write policy papers and draft and vote on resolutions.
"The Conference was a good experience for me because I got to learn how the U.N. actually works from the point of view of a delegate rather than a student learning in a class room setting. It was a lot of work and it was really difficult at times, but overall I found it to be a good opportunity and I learned a great deal from it," said Nari
Baughman, a junior and the team's captain.
Those interested in joining the 2006 team can contact Shiels at (914) 674-7396.
- Submitted by Saori Kishi
Model U.N. gives a definite edge to the college, bringing an intellectual sport that allows the students to think outside the box, feels the students in the class. Students learn the art of diplomacy, rhetoric and international understanding. Many successful and prominent people in society today have participated in the Model U. N., including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and actor Samuel L. Jackson.
This year, Mercy's team represented Grenada at the Model U.N. conference during the Spring Break. The team consists of a plethora of different ethnicities, making Mercy's team a United Nations in itself of sorts. At the conference, the Mercy team had the opportunity to engage in debates about international affairs with students from all over the world. Some of the topics were resource allocation for HIV/AIDS: prevention versus treatment and combating illicit drug trafficking and production within the organization of American states, plus legal aspects of war and occupation.
Just like the real United Nations, students were able to caucus, write policy papers and draft and vote on resolutions.
"The Conference was a good experience for me because I got to learn how the U.N. actually works from the point of view of a delegate rather than a student learning in a class room setting. It was a lot of work and it was really difficult at times, but overall I found it to be a good opportunity and I learned a great deal from it," said Nari
Baughman, a junior and the team's captain.
Those interested in joining the 2006 team can contact Shiels at (914) 674-7396.
- Submitted by Saori Kishi