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������ý����'s Model United Nations (UN) team won an Outstanding Delegation Award — the conference’s highest award — at the 2022 National Model UN conference in New York City. 

“Only the best prepared teams take away this award from the competition,” says Dr. Barbara Franz, ������ý����’s Model UN faculty adviser. “We compete against teams from universities all over the world.”

������ý����’s team also won three Peer Delegate Awards. Political science majors freshman Christina Natoli and junior Andrew Bernstein received the award for their work on the General Assembly First Committee. Grace Kohansby, junior political science and global studies double major, and Tray Ferguson, sophomore political science major, were honored for their work on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Sophomore Paola Carlesso, global studies and Spanish double major, and junior Devon Shaw, political science major, also received a peer recognition award for their outstanding leadership on the UN Women Committee. 

The team, led by students Shaw, Ryan Leighton and Katy Timari, was assigned to represent Hungary this year.

“Our delegates had to defend the stances of the Hungarian government regardless of their own personal beliefs or identities. This was a big challenge for our delegates,” says Leighton, a senior history and political science double major participating in his third Model UN conference. “The conference always gives delegates a feel for how fun, messy, frustrating and fruitful global politics can be.”

The leaders made certain ������ý����’s team was up to the challenge.

“������ý���� takes Model UN very seriously,” says Shaw. “We spend the entire semester in a class that consists of simulations, teaching students all of the ins and outs of the conference. We also host a mock conference, a one-day event in which we invite other schools to our campus and simulate the entire conference.”

The team’s award continues the successful legacy of ������ý����’s participation in Model UN. The University has been honored with the Outstanding Delegation award more than a dozen times in the past two decades.

“The long-standing history of success that our team has encourages all of our team members to hold themselves to a high standard,” says Timari, a junior political science and health care policy double major. “While this can be stressful at times, it’s also encouraging to know that there has been a long line of success before that you can help to continue.”

The team was rounded out by Grace Auer, senior economics and international business double major; Nico Cappuccino, junior history major; Maria Castillo, sophomore political science major; Preston Hicks, senior computer science major; Mark Immordino, senior political science major; Brianna Kovach, freshman political science major; Elissa LiBrizzi, freshman political science major; Maheen Mumtaz, junior political science major; Chris Simon, sophomore music education and vocal performance double major; Andreja Vujasinovic, junior political science and finance double major; and Nina Weber, junior global studies and political science double major.

������ý���� was a founding member of the National Model United Nations competition and has attended every conference since 1967.

Beyond the recognition, students also develop skills in teamwork, leadership, writing and public speaking. “Being part of this team is, for sure, one of the most meaningful learning experiences, and the most valuable and practical experience, in their student careers at ������ý����,” Franz says.