November 29, 2023
Model United Nations team wins awards at conference in Chicago
Submitted by Monica Macfarlane
K-State's Model UN team competed against more than 1,400 students from 77 colleges and universities at the 34th annual American Model UN International Collegiate Conference Nov. 18-21 in Chicago.
The team, who had chosen to represent Kenya, had four team members win delegate awards for their exceptional representation of Kenya on the General Assembly Plenary and General Assembly Second Committee.
General Assembly Plenary delegates:
- Andrew Navarro, junior in political science, pre-law, with a minor in Spanish.
- Jacob Hofman, senior in political science, pre-law, and economics with a minor in statistics.
General Assembly Second Committee delegates:
- Nick Kendrick, sophomore in business.
- Maria Velazco, freshman in sociology and international studies with a minor in business.
When discussing natural disaster resiliency, the General Assembly Plenary focused on state partnerships with nongovernmental organizations to provide sustainable and swift solutions for the betterment of climate refugees. Meanwhile, the second committee grappled with how to support the financing of clean energy while maintaining diligent respect for the diverse needs and challenges of all member states.
This year, K-State's Model UN team members included: Biruk Alemu, Beth Desta, Jacob Hofman, Nick Kendrick, Brooke Miller, Andrew Navarro, Kyle Rogers, Samuel Schweier, Gracie Jo Stanton, Michael Thompson, Maria Velazco, Katey West and McKenna Wise. Associate Professors John Fliter and Michael Tyburski served as co-faculty advisors for the team.