Marc Mason
Dr. D’Amico
Model UN
Response Paper
5/5/10
Participation in Model United Nations is essential for any serious international relations student aspiring to work in the field of diplomacy within his/her future. Not only do delegates get a first hand experience as a “state representative,” but they also develop skills such as negotiation, pubic speaking, and resolution writing through MUN at a level that is unrivaled with any other course offered at Syracuse University. All students who are accepted into the program are eased into the process through weeks of preparation, which includes guest lecturers, working paper peer editing, and mock-conferencing. By the time the delegates arrive at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City to individually “represent” their preselected sovereign state, they are ready for some diplomatic action.
Although I was only an alternate this year, I still felt as though I gained a valuable education that is unique compared to the regular lecture/seminar style courses that are offered every semester. I knew before applying that I would be one of the youngest on the team as a sophomore; however, that did not hinder me from filling out the paper work. Once I received confirmation that I was selected to participate, I was ecstatic. Already having participated in MUN within high school, I felt confident that I would be able to adjust to the college level. Fortunately, my time spent within MUN went very smoothly and I was able to receive an unforgettable experience.
My role as an alternate was to be the delegation archivist. More specifically, I helped the delegates prepare their working papers and construct a slideshow that captured the overall MUN experience while the other alternate kept and organized records of the course’s proceedings. Although alternates are not responsible for their own working paper, as they are not delegated to a specific committee, they still have to be knowledgeable of all the different committees in case they have to fill the place of a delegate who decides to withdraw from participating in the conference. Not to mention, delegates also commonly call upon the alternates to aid them in their research and other preparatory work as a helping hand. Therefore, being an alternate is a great experience for those who plan to participate in MUN again as a delegate in a future academic year. Since alternates are introduced to the proceedings earlier on, they would be better prepared than others who have not yet received the same type of immersive education.
As an international relations major concentrating in the Middle East and ILO, I did not have much knowledge on Peru or even Latin America in general. Therefore, all of the extra researching that we did on Peru outside of class was very important for me in order to get a better understanding of the state’s policies and positions. Also, the in-class preparation was necessary for the development of draft working papers, as I spent the majority of my time within class editing the delegates’ working papers and taking notes on the guest speakers. This year, we had three class periods devoted to guest speakers who taught us about Peru’s policies and positions, the importance of geography, and resolution writing. Each speaker was very knowledgeable and aided us in our quest to become better “Peruvian representatives.” Before the delegates went off to NYC, our last preparatory classes were devoted to practicing conferencing, as we learned about all of the rules and procedures. I think that most delegates felt adequately prepared by the time of the actual conference.
However, given the amount of work that is needed in order to become a top delegation at the final conference, the Syracuse delegation needs to start preparing well before the spring semester. Although I did not attend the conference in NYC since I was an alternate, I still heard stories about other delegations that have embedded MUN within their curriculum. While most delegates at Syracuse have only been on the team once (two at the most), some of the delegates at the other schools have done it as many as three times while also doing preparatory work during both fall and spring semesters. Therefore, the Syracuse delegation needs to start their preparation in the fall semester in order to become more competitive. Also, it would be great to do some fundraising early on in case the delegation does not receive adequate funding. I believe that next year, advisor Dr. D’Amico is going to try and make this happen.
I wish that I could include more information about the final conference in NYC; however, as an alternate I was unable to attend. However, I am hopeful that I will get the opportunity within my senior year to become a delegate. Plus, I am confident that my time as an alternate gave me the know-how to become an even more competitive delegate in the future. As an archivist, I was able to get a grasp on all of the concepts and study the preparation process from a unique perspective. My role was very diverse, as I felt responsible for not just one committee, but all of them. I truly enjoyed my semester with Dr. D’Amico and the rest of the delegation, and am excited to do it again my senior year (only because I will be abroad my junior year).
Any international relations student that is interested in learning how to debate international issues, negotiate with both supporters and adversaries, and gain a global perspective should apply to become a part of Model United Nations. I would recommend those who are interested in MUN to look at the website and then ask to watch the slideshow. For those who do eventually become delegates, I suggest that they take advantage of this unique opportunity by not holding back and taking part in every discussion. On a personal level, MUN is really a phenomenal experience, not only for social networking, but also to make everlasting friends. One should definitely apply next year to represent a South Asian state or the following year to represent a European state (with me), if not, then that student is doing him/herself a great disservice.