WWU awarded highest honor as 'Outstanding Delegation' at National Model United Nations 2011
From April 17 to 21, 15 students from Western Washington University’s Model United Nations program represented Portugal and participated along with 5,000-plus peers from 340 schools on five continents in the 2011 National National Model United Nations-New York conference.
This was the sixth time WWU has attended the conference and the first time the university was named an "Outstanding Delegation," the highest recognition in the conference. Western previously won "Distinguished Delegation" and "Honorable Mention" in 2010 and 2009, respectively.
Delegates arrived at the conference after months of rigorous academic preparation on conference topics. Representing Portugal for the second time, WWU students discussed issues including nuclear energy, conventional weapons, peace and security, development and human rights.
The students who were selected to attend the conference as part of WWU’s team ranged from sophomores to seniors in a diverse range of majors. The students:
- Ben Stamm
- Jesse Barnett
- Liza Weeks
- Joe Jamison
- Maria Torres
- Lauren Hager
- Mark Winters
- Jesse Summer-Lavigne
- Patricia Robinson
- Rachel Vette
- Adam Walkiewicz
- Andrew Sage
- Holly Myers
- Charlie Harbeson
- Keith Anderson
WWU was also represented within the conference’s large volunteer staff, which begins preparations for the conference almost a year in advance. Sara Leister, a current senior, served as assistant director for the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Additionally, Kristina Mader, a 2008 alumna of WWU, served on senior staff as under-secretary-general of the ECOSOC Department.
This is the third time WWU has been recognized at an international level for the high quality and overall excellence of its Model UN program. At the regional level, WWU is one of the top programs in Washington state, earning recognition for its delegates’ skills in diplomacy and negotiation at conferences in Seattle; Vancouver, B.C.; and Portland, Ore.
WWU’s Model United Nations program is housed within Western International Affairs Association, which is part of the Political Science Department. The program attends multiple conferences a year, including Northwest Model United Nations and other smaller regional conferences. For more information, contact Ben Stamm at president@westerniaa.org or Sara Leister at vp@westerniaa.org.