CPP Model UN Team Wins Highest Award for Third Consecutive Year
For a third consecutive year, Cal Poly Pomona’s Model United Nations team won Outstanding Delegation at the National Model United Nations (NMUN) Conference in New York City.
CPP competed against 147 other university teams from across the globe at the April 6-10 NMUN conference.
Team advisor Marc Scarcelli, a CPP political science professor and member of the Board of Directors of the NMUN organization, said the joy that comes with receiving the award doesn’t get old.
“I’m always happy because they work so hard,” Scarcelli said. “I’m relieved.”
Preparing for Victory
The team of 20 students represented Mexico at the conference, divided into 10 committees of two students each covering topics such as crime prevention and criminal justice, nuclear weapon disarmament and human rights. Each committee spent months researching their topics to prepare for the event.
Head delegates and political science students Amary Corona and William Haden managed committees, taught newcomers how to write position papers, organized transportation to local conferences and prepared the team for speeches.
“We really pushed for having 20 people this time around,” Corona said. “Because originally the team had 18, so if we allowed for two more to make it 20, that allows for another committee, another partnership, and ultimately greater opportunities.”
Students collaborated with other university committees representing different countries during the informal session. They wrote draft resolutions about their topic before presenting them to a Dais in the formal session, which consists of a chair, director, and assistant director.
Haden believed his team’s performance in formal session secured the award.
“I noticed with my team, they were so passionate with every single word that came out of their mouths,” Haden said. “They treated it like it was the only time that they were able to speak, and I noticed that the audience noticed that. So, with that combination of factors, deep down, I had a suspicion that we got the award.”
An Opportunity for All
CPP’s Model UN team was founded in 1974 by political science professor John Moore, and they first competed in NMUN New York in 1977. They have been one of the longest-running, consistent attendants at the competition since the late 1990s.
The process to join CPP’s Model UN team is rigorous. Applicants are required to submit their GPA, a why-statement and a writing sample in the fall semester to be considered for an interview in November. After passing the interview, team members must enroll in CLS 4100: Model United Nations to learn and prepare for the conference.
The Model UN team is not just for political science students. Every major is welcome, and this year’s team consisted of students from various disciplines, including criminology, biotechnology, electrical engineering and business administration.
“It’s an opportunity for everyone,” Scarcelli said. “The skills that are gained on the team are ones that will help everyone in their careers.”
Learn more about CPP’s Model UN team here.