KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 6, 2018

KSU students bring home 17 awards from regional conference

The Kennesaw State University Model United Nations teams recently won Outstanding Delegation Award at the Southern Regional Model United Nations Conference. Overall, KSU teams won a total of 17 awards, setting a new record for the student organization.

Competing against 600 students from 42 universities, Kennesaw State’s 37 students represented three UN member states: Germany, China, and Saudi Arabia.

The Outstanding Delegation Award, the top award at the conference, was given to the KSU student delegations representing China and Saudi Arabia, while the delegation from Germany received an honorable Delegation Award. Students representing Saudi Arabia, China and Germany also won Outstanding Position Paper Awards. These awards are given to the top 10 countries at the conference based on the position papers submitted for each committee the country is representing at the conference. Position papers are brief reports created by students before the event to provide a policy on the given committee agenda topics.

“Everyone spent a lot of time working on their papers and preparing for the conference so it’s really exciting to see KSU recognized for the great work we’re doing,” said Charity Butcher, associate professor of political science and faculty advisor of the club.

For business management major Adam Green who serves as team captain and will graduate this spring, the conference was bittersweet.

“I started this whole process three years ago as a delegate with little knowledge about what to expect and now I’m the team captain,” he said. “It has been a wonderful opportunity and I’ve enjoyed working with my teammates. This win wasn’t just one person, it took our entire team and I’m so proud of what we accomplished.”

Green said he has been honored to work with a team passionate about Model UN and who are willing to work hard. That hard work paid off with this year’s conference. In addition to country-level awards, students representing 11 different committees during the conference also earned individual committee awards.

Best Delegation Awards:

• Grace Stafford and Henry Handcock - China in the General Assembly Plenary
• Nick Graff and Alexandria Moore - Saudi Arabia in the General Assembly Plenary
• LeAnna Christensen and Kaan Cubukcu - Germany in Interpol
• Andrew Wittmayer and Matthew Hunnicutt - China in Interpol
• Marisol Mendez and Jeremy Meyerson - Saudi Arabia in Interpol
• William Brisbane and Joseph Aldridge - China at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
• Gregory Hicks and Jennifer St. Martin - Germany at the World Health Organization
• Haley Bufka and Nicholas Busson - Saudi Arabia in the League of Arab States
• James Risner and Maddox Trinklein - China in the United Nations Development Program Committee
• Katherine Cameron and Phelan McDevitt - Saudi Arabia in the United Nations Development Program Committee
• Arliss Barameda and Cameron Peterson - Germany in the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

The Model UN club has been a part of Kennesaw State for nearly 30 years and gives students the chance to roleplay delegates to the United Nations and to simulate UN committee activities. Students prepare papers, give speeches and present on behalf of their assigned country at conferences around the world.

– Andrea Judy

Photos by Lauren Kress; and Submitted

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.