Model United Nations students tackle world problems at AMUN Conference

Eighteen Carthage Model United Nations students, accompanied by Professor Jeffrey Roberg (political science), traveled to Chicago to compete in the American Model United Nations (AMUN) Conference Nov. 18-21. Carthage students represented Ethiopia and Ukraine at this conference.

AMUN Topics

With very little sleep, but good diplomatic skills, our students tackled issues of international importance such as:

• Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention
• Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all
• External debt sustainability and development
• The safety of journalists
• Preventing and combating crimes that affect the environment
• International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters
• Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin
• Facilitating digital inclusion initiatives for indigenous peoples
• Information and communication technology accessibility for persons with disabilities and persons
• Sustainable cities
• Human mobility and international migration
• Population, food security, nutrition, and sustainable development
• Women’s economic empowerment in Africa
• Addressing poverty and vulnerability in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic

Awards

From left to right: Alex Papiez ’24, Tyler Kelly ’24, Michael Phi Vo ’27, and Laura Hung ’24. While at AMUN, Carthage Model UN students were among 869 students from 62 colleges and universities from across the United States and the world who worked to solve problems and tried to “get their way.” In the process, Carthage Model UN students won the following two awards at AMUN:

• Laura Hung ’24 and Michael Phi Vo ’27 for their exceptional representation of Ethiopia in the Economic Commission for Africa
• Tyler Kelly ’24 and Alex Papiez ’24 for their exceptional representation of Ukraine in the General Assembly Plenary

Representing the country of Ethiopia: Megan Baumeister ’24, Spencer George ’26, Claire Guenther ’24, Laura Hung ’24, Emma Murphy ’24, Greyson Salvadore ’27, and Michael Phi Vo ’27.

Representing the country of Ukraine: Nicole Biba ’24, Lorin Bucur ’26, Andrew Kasica ’24, Tyler Kelly ’24, Daniel Lenzi ’24, Michael Malyszek ’25, Alex Papiez ’24, Brandon Swensen ’25, Nathan Swensen ’25, Emily Van Dixhorn ’26, and Maya Zenner ’25.

Please congratulate all of these students for their excellent efforts should you see them! They were a great team!

These students represent 15 majors from across the college, including accounting, allied health science, Asian studies, biology, Chinese, economics, engineering, finance, French, graphic design, history, international political economy, music education, political science, and social work.

Model UN helps students to sharpen their “hard” and “soft” skills through research, writing, public speaking (in front of large groups), and diplomacy (by working in smaller groups). In addition building and refining their skills, they also see an increase in confidence in presenting their views in a potentially stressful environment. Model UN is open to students of all majors.

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Emma Murphy ’24 (left) and Claire Guenther ’24 (right).

Greyson Salvadore ’27 (left) and Spencer George ’26 (right).

Megan Baumeister ’24

Laura Hung ’24 (left) and Michael Phi Vo ’27 (right).

Emily Van Dixhorn ’26 (left) and Brandon Swensen ’25 (right).

Andrew Kasica ’24 (left) and Michael Malyszek ’25 (right).

Nicole Biba ’24

Lorin Bucur ’26 (left) and Maya Zenner ’25 (right).

Brandon Swensen ’25 (left) and Daniel Lenzi ’24 (right).

Nathan Swensen ’25

Tyler Kelly ’24 (left) and and Alex Papiez ’24 (right).

From left to right: Nicole Biba ’24, Megan Baumeister ’24, Daniel Lenzi ’24, Prof. Jeffrey Roberg, Tyler Kelly ’24, Alex Papiez ’24, and Laura Hung ’24.

AMUN Committee