NSU’s Model UN Team Nova International Relations Association will attend the Ninth Annual Model United Nations Conference from Oct. 3 to 4 in Gainesville, Florida.
Assistant Professor in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences George Bass, faculty adviser of NIRA, said the main idea of the conference is for students to represent different countries in a simulated environment in which they become diplomats for the country they are representing.
“What it’s really about is teaching students how to solve complex problems by putting themselves into a position they’re really not that familiar with,” Bass said. “It’s a way for students to take what they learn in the classroom and then apply it in a setting where they’re not only learning but working with others and having this social experience.”
The team is preparing for the conference by researching their assigned countries. Team members learn about their country’s history, political landscape, socioeconomic background and its international role. They write position papers outlining what their country’s position is on an issue. These papers are graded and several Saturdays before the conference, they practice parliamentary procedure. Students also learn how to articulate this information diplomatically and compromise with other countries.
Bass said the team and conferences teach students valuable skills including behaving in a diplomatic manner, practicing Robert’s Rules and parliamentary procedure.
“You get up and give speeches; you’re working with other people to write up resolutions, and I think that really helps with public speaking skills and things like that,” said Bass.
Bass hopes the team can attend the national competition in March 2015 and participate against the best schools in the country. At the national competition, held annually in New York, teams visit the UN building and meet delegates.
“That’s something we’re building towards. I think the future’s looking bright,” said Bass. “We’ve got a really good group of students; they’ve done a really nice job the last couple years, building up the club that started out with three or four students that were talking amongst themselves.”
NIRA Vice President Andrew Jones, senior political science and international law major, said the students who will participate in the conference have committed their time, effort and academic endeavors to international discussion.
Jones believes the Model UN has something to offer for everyone.
“The first rule is to have fun and the second one is to do the best you can. The whole idea of this is to have a good time and grow from it,” Jones said. “Our faculty advisor, Dr. Bass, is fantastic, and he consistently goes above and beyond what he needs to do for us, and he’s an essential part of the club. Knowing that he will be here after my friends and I graduate makes me very sure that the club will live on after us.”
Bass and Jones hope to see the club expand and have a larger presence at NSU and at conferences.
“Any undergraduate student can be a part of it; it is not limited to political science majors,” said Bass. “Our requirement is that you care about international issues and want to learn more about the world around you. That’s our main goal.”
Jones said Model UN is an asset to NSU because of the diversity of undergraduate students and its status as an international university. NSU students are already internationally minded, and the organization hopes to help students cultivate international conversation and awareness.
“It’s one of the greatest things that I think we can offer as an organization,” Jones said.
