Eastern Wyoming College students participate in Wyoming Model United Nations
Monday, April 30th, 2012 • 3:18 pm
 |
| From L to R: Alice Hovis, Dawn Mickle, Klinton Cahoy, Ben Nelson, Anne Hilton, Natawsha Mitchell Not pictured – Jessica Nyhus |
EWC students traveled to the University of Wyoming April 20-21 to participate in the first annual Wyoming Model United Nations. The theme was “Sustainable Development and Fostering Security in a Complex World.” The students acted as diplomats from various nations in simulations that encouraged critical engagement with world issues. Prior to the conference, EWC students researched and submitted position papers on an assigned country and then represented those countries in Laramie, engaging in diplomacy, negotiations, and resolution writing with the framework of a Model United Nations.
Participants from EWC included Alice Hovis, who represented Nigeria on the Security Council where she discussed the responsibility to protect and Security Council membership reform. Students serving on the General Assembly First Committee included Klinton Cahoy, representing South Africa, Ben Nelson, representing Egypt, Jessica Nyhus, representing Nigeria, and Dawn Mickle, representing Myanmar. These students focused on disarmament, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorist threats, along with Palestinian statehood. Mickle’s experience in the General Assembly helped her and other students understand “how the United Nations works and how hard it is to get resolutions passed.” EWC’s representative on the Human Rights Council was Natawsha Mitchell, representing Nigeria, who deliberated on human rights and combating human trafficking, in what she called an “extremely engaging and eye-opening experience.”
The simulations challenged students from around the state to respond to these issues. EWC student Ben Nelson said, “The Wyoming Model United Nations provided me with the opportunity to work towards solving very complex global issues.” As a result, students were challenged to view these issues from outside an American framework, which, according to Hovis, “built my confidence as a member of the world and as a person.”
During the closing ceremonies, the EWC delegation received three awards. Hovis was recognized with an award for Outstanding Country Position Paper (Honorable Mention). Mitchell also took home an award for Outstanding Country Position Paper (Honorable Mention). Finally, Nelson was recognized for his contributions in the General Assembly with an Outstanding Delegate (Honorable Mention) award.
EWC students participated in the Model UN as part of Non-Western Political Cultures taught by Anne Hilton. Hilton and Court Merrigan developed the course as part of a statewide International Studies Consortium funded by a Title VI grant through the University of Wyoming. According to Hilton, “The students represented EWC admirably. They showed what hard work and dedication can accomplish. I am extremely proud of this group.” Merrigan added, “EWC students are moving into an increasingly global world and it is great to see them engaging with international issues in such a significant, thoughtful way.”
Comments are closed.