On the cold, rainy mornings of Thursday and Friday last week, over 1200 students from multiple countries, states, and cities, gathered on the Trinity University campus to participate in the largest student-led Model UN conference in the south.
Headed by a group of 13 seniors from ISA, MUNSA is an annual Model UN conference that attracts participants from LEE and beyond. Garnering national praise, standing out at MUNSA is a notable accomplishment, and putting on the conference itself requires months of dedicated preparation.
In charge of the never ending emails and sponsor communication, ISA Senior and Undersecretary General of External Affairs, Quin Moyer, devoted countless hours in the fall semester to the organization of participants in the conference. “I’m in charge of organizing delegates to come to the conference, and coordinating with all of the chaperones to make sure the delegates are where they’re supposed to be,” said Moyer.
However, this wasn’t without its challenges. “There are so many moving pieces, and making sure that everything gets done the way it should while addressing any problems that arise during the conference is difficult to stay on top of,” she commented.
Despite the challenges, thanks to her work, MUNSA was able to host its largest ever group of JMUN delegates – middle schoolers who are interested in getting into Model UN. JMUN at MUNSA offered crash courses on parliamentary procedure, tips on confidence, and provided an environment to gain real-time experience.
Additionally, MUNSA’s over 900 high school delegates competed in over 25 rooms in their efforts to take home the prestigious MUNSA delegate awards. Hailing from across the country and our own doorstep, delegates from both LEE and ISA represented our campus at the conference.
In looking for pointers to be successful at MUNSA, seasoned competitors often have the most approachable advice.
“Everybody is just as clueless as you,” advised Emilie Wilson, a Senior at NESA. “You might think that everybody is more researched or a better public speaker than you, but when it comes down to it, everyone started at the same place and you’re all entering the room at the same time. It starts new each time, so don’t be afraid to speak up”
As the leaders of tomorrow are being found today, MUNSA offers a chance for students to speak up about issue that are important to them and the world, and come up with creative solutions that speak truth to their voice.
