The Tyler Collegiate Model United Nations Club
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Article published May 14, 2007
UT Tyler Sends Delegation To National Model UN
By BETTY WATERS
Staff Writer
A delegation of University of Texas at Tyler students became diplomats and negotiators at the National Model United Nations Conference, getting several resolutions passed by the Council of Europe Committee, including one advocating abolishing trade in human beings and another promoting democracy in Eastern Europe.
UT Tyler students Verica Elliott and Jamie Bitzenhofter say serving as delegates recently to the educational simulation of the United Nations in New York City brought an exposure to new ideas and cultures as they gained skills in the art of diplomacy, research and other areas while addressing global issues, such as human rights and peacekeeping.
They were among 13 UT Tyler students, accompanied by two faculty members, who participated in the National Model United Nations for approximately 4,000 college and university students and 300 faculty from all over the world.
For the UT Tyler team, the six-day trip capped the first United Nations course conducted at the university. Students in the class were picked based on academic performance.
The class and trip "went so well that we are going to do it again," said Dr. Marcus Stadelmann, associate professor of political science, who taught the course. The university has committed to offer the course again this fall and also to pay air fare and hotel expenses for class members selected to attend the next National Model U.N. Conference next spring.
The U.N. course was initially a senior level class, but will also be open to graduate students this fall. It attracted mostly political science majors and a few other majors the first year.
The course began with a look at how the United Nations evolved, its structure and problems that the United Nations copes with currently. The second half consisted largely of preparation for participating in the National Model U.N. Students engaged in extensive studies of Macedonia, the country UT Tyler was assigned to represent in the Model U.N., examination of issues the U.N. deals with and a look at U.N. rules and procedures.
They later stepped into the role of Macedonia ambassadors to the Model U.N. In that capacity, they advocated - based on their studies and research - policies and positions they felt Macedonia would have on international issues and world problems, such as preventing an arms race in outer space.
With Macedonia represented on seven Model U.N. committees, UT Tyler had about two students per committee working on resolutions with students from other universities representing other countries. They even met at the Model U.N. the real Macedonia ambassador to the United Nations, Igor Dzundev.
A resolution UT Tyler got passed in the Council of Europe committee would create an alliance with several Balkan states and eastern European states to promote democracy. Another resolution would provide resources and programs to allow families to reunite and cope with human trafficking, such as slave trade.
Resolutions that are passed are looked at by the real United Nations and could have an impact on international policy making, according to Stadelmann.
In the simulation, students used communication and critical thinking skills, communication, research, policy analysis, negotiating, conflict resolution and writing skills.
The National Model United Nations is a successor to a similar collegiate simulation of the Model League of Nations in the 1920s. Students who have participated and gone on to become leaders in law, government, business and the arts include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, former World Court Justice Stephen M. Schwebel and actor Samuel L. Jackson.
Most sessions UT Tyler students went to modeled the United Nations at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in midtown Manhattan, but students went to the United Nations headquarters and the general assembly hall on their last day in New York.
"It was amazing. You are exposed to a completely different culture," Ms. Elliott said. She saw students there from Italy, France, Belgium, Ireland, Germany and many other countries.
"It was nice to be able to interact and actually be a true diplomat at the conference," Ms. Elliott, who was a head delegate, said. "It was really, really intensive because our committees were there from 9 in the morning until almost 11 at night. We had some breaks, but we were always going, going, going. We were doing in one week the same thing essentially (that) U.N. delegates do throughout the year in trying to pass resolutions."
Ms. Elliott added, "It was awesome. I loved doing it. I learned how to deal with others, negotiating skills, writing skills, persuasive skills. All of it was great to be exposed to different ideas and the whole experience was just stunning."
Ms. Bitzenhofter noted U.N. policies could be looked at from the perspective of a student or somebody who's just researching. But, she said, "It's an entirely different thing to understand the procedural constraints that the United Nations delegates have on them."
Before going to the Model U.N., Ms. Bitzenhofter said, she did not realize that diplomacy in the U.N. involved raising a placard a certain way and addressing people a certain way. "It was incredibly interesting to see when you are in a diplomatic situation how you interact with one another. That was really interesting on kind of a personal level," Ms. Bitzenhofter said.
Although she felt she understood the idea of networking and workshops from having participated in a congressional simulation in high school, Ms. Bitzenhofter said she found the process for drafting resolutions in the Model U.N. "really, really intensive and interesting."
She added, "You learn a lot because you get so focused on your individual country. It was interesting to see other people's ideas ... you can get all these different perspectives you wouldn't have had otherwise."
Other UT Tyler students who participated in this spring's National Model U.N. were: Whitney Childers, Misti Justice, Danielle Engelhorn, James Curry, Nathan Stiles, Maggie Haas, William Fletcher, David Brown, Lane Krarup, Jarrett Hill and Michael McGregor.
Students interested in the next U.N. course at the university should call 903-566-7412.
Betty Waters covers higher education and rural Smith county. She can be reached at 903.596.6286. e-mail: news@tylerpaper.com
