WWU students win Distinguished Delegation Award at the 2022 Model UN Conference in New York

On April 2, Western Washington University sent 20 students to New York City to partake in the annual National Model United Nations Conference, representing the country of Iran, and were honored with a Distinguished Delegation Award for their work at the conference. 

The Model United Nations is an international event that takes place annually in New York City, with more than 6,000 students from over 400 colleges and universities worldwide. The purpose of National Model United Nations is to strengthen the understanding of the United Nations and present-day international issues while allowing students to meet with representatives from UN member states.  

The Distinguished Delegation Award honors the group for performing above expectations and suggests that each delegate on the team did a noteworthy job at the conference and was considered successful by all the chairs at the conference. 

Western’s International Affairs Association (IAA) President, Ryan Myrvold said attending the conference allows students to gain public speaking skills and collaborate with peers. 

“You learn to think on your feet effectively and you learn how to work collaboratively as part of a team,” Myrvold said. “You must know how to work with people with different personalities, perspectives and across cultures to be the best possible teammate you can be in a professional environment.” 

Mathew Willoughby, Western’s outreach officer for IAA, said cooperation on a deadline is also an important skill you attain along with writing and research. 

“It’s a very stressful environment working together,” Willoughby said. “You have little time to write a resolution with people you’ve never met, so learning to have good collaboration skills is a must.” 

Participating in the Model UN Conference allows students to gain exceptional skills in communication, writing and research, and it also prepares students for future job opportunities. 

“As a logistics officer, I serve on two different budget committees, so on my resume this position is very good for me,” said Mary Piekarczyk, Western’s Vice President of Logistics for IAA. “It gives me experience with budgets and working with advisors and professors.” 

Piekarczyk said participating in Model UN has also made her a better and more flexible writer. 

Currently, IAA is looking for new members. For students wanting to join IAA and attend the Model United Nations Conference in New York City, sign-ups occur in the fall, but those looking to attend club meetings now can meet in Miller Hall 131 at 6 p.m. every Wednesday. 

For more information about WWU’s delegation to the 2022 National Model UN conference, contact Myrvold at president@wwuiaa.com.