Monmouth University’s Model United Nations (MUN) team competed at the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) contest in Charlotte, NC, from March 24-26. Thirteen students travelled to Charlotte; head delegates and junior political science students, Sabria Smith and Sarah Reutti, served as student team leaders while Ken Mitchell, professor of Political Science, served as faculty adviser. SRMUN attracts around 100 universities, mostly from across the southern U.S.
Over the three-day contest, students simulate the operations of the United Nations to resolve a range of pressing policy challenges, such as climate change, sustainability of global food systems, spread of nuclear weapons, technology transfer, economic development, gender equality, and strengthening the property rights of indigenous people. Students give speeches, write policy resolutions/proposals, and negotiate with other countries. Monmouth students represented three countries: Nicaragua, Australia and Indonesia.
Overall, Monmouth won “Most Outstanding Delegation, Position Papers,” an award focused on the written policy analysis students submit at the start of the contest. Writing strong position papers according to the contest judges were the following students: Oliver Gaines, senior homeland security student, and James Bellinger, freshman political science student, for Australia on the General Assembly Committee; Nick Yalch, junior business economics student, and Eric Machnicki, junior political science student, for Nicaragua on the General Assembly Committee; Catherine Melman-Kenny, senior political science and anthropology student, and Rachel Tramontana, sophomore political science student, for Nicaragua on the International Labor Organization Committee; and Emily Rabbitt, freshman criminal justice student, and Melanie Tencza, freshman political science student, for Indonesia on the International Labor Organization Committee.
Logging strong performances in committee sessions over the contest were Richard Pitts, sophomore political science student, and Jenna Keaney, freshman communication student, for Australia on the International Labor Organization, as well as Thomas Rosta, junior political science and anthropology student for Nicaragua on the International Law Commission committee.
During the academic year 2021-2022, Monmouth’s team travelled around the country to participate at four contests: University of Southern California MUN in Los Angeles, National MUN in Washington D.C., Harvard MUN in Boston, and SRMUN in Charlotte. Monmouth teams won multiple individual and team awards; overall, 35 undergraduate students from a variety of majors participated.
Next academic year, the Monmouth MUN team plans a full schedule of trips to contests both in the U.S. and in Europe. All undergraduate students are encouraged to join and participate next fall.
