While many Pepperdine students finish up their last month studying abroad Pepperdine’s 16 Model United Nations (MUN) participants will be having an “international” experience of their own.
National MUN which will take place in New York from March 28 to April 1 simulates the process of the United Nations and its international cooperation among foreign nations. The MUN staff assigns each school a U.N. country to represent and students participate in committees as if they were national delegates.
MUN committees mimic U.N. committees debating to find solutions to international problems and creating official written resolutions that outline these solutions.
“Basically a lot of college students from across the globe come to these conferences and represent all the nations in the U.N. Pepperdine MUN member Cameron Vea, a sophomore and economics major, said. We try to persuade each other over certain issues and there’s a lot of politicking that goes on.”
In this conference Pepperdine will represent the United Kingdom which they see as a great opportunity to showcase the club’s hard work and skill.
“They have an enormous honor this year representing Great Britain faculty advisor Carolyn James said. There are only five countries that have veto power and permanent seats in the Security Council and Great Britain is one of them. They’ve earned this from past performances. They don’t just give that to anyone. That says something about our program.”
According to Pepperdine MUN President Darren Cinatl in the five years that MUN has been active at Pepperdine the United Kingdom is the largest country that its members have represented.” It shows that National MUN is recognizing Pepperdine as having a little more influence in the conference said Cinatl, a junior international studies major with an emphasis on political science.
James said she has confidence in her students’ ability to handle the responsibility. The students actually do most of the work James said. It’s really a student-run club. They’ve got a lot of students who are experienced there.”
MUN however can provide students with very beneficial opportunities regardless of the size or influence of a school’s assigned country.
Perhaps most importantly MUN grants students perspective on international affairs.
“Basically National MUN and MUN at Pepperdine is a way for Pepperdine students to get a more perspective worldview Cinatl said.
Experience on these simulated committees fosters this broadened worldview. Other than simply giving students an opportunity to learn about international affairs they get the opportunity to actually fill another country’s shoes Cinatl said.
Participants said MUN also has its social and networking benefits.
It’s a very good place to network and a great opportunity to meet people Vea said.
You get to meet so many different students from different nationalities backgrounds and religions and everyone comes together with a common goal Cinatl said. It really gives you hope and shows you how the U.N. comes together to work for a greater common good.”
“National MUN is an excellent program James added. It’s great for anyone who wants to know about international organizations. It’s a lot of work but it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great growing experience.”
In addition to the growth benefits MUN participation presents monetary incentives. “[MUN] allows students the opportunity to obtain scholarships Cinatl said. Multiple scholarships are given from the National MUN chapter— a body governed by the U.N.”
MUN may also provide opportunities to meet members of the United Nations. “Outside of committee we’re arranging to meet an actual U.N. delegate from the United Kingdom Cinatl said.
Even though MUN is a U.N. simulation, ideas conceived in MUN committees have been implemented by the United Nations itself. There are draft resolutions that have been passed in MUN committees that have gone on to be drafted in actual U.N. committees Cinatl said. It’s exciting that college students can be a part of something greater.”
There are also many opportunities to work for MUN a similar organization or the real United Nations in the future.
“A lot of former delegates have gone on to work for the NCAA or MUN and have gone on from there to work with the actual U.N. Cinatl said. The conference is a great stepping stone. The conference itself is growing and the opportunities for students are growing.”
The members of Pepperdine MUN encourage current and prospective students to consider participating in the organization and are eager for the program’s future growth at Pepperdine.
“I think that all students should try to become involved if they can Cinatl said. Once we get more funding we won’t just be doing the one conference we will be able to do multiple conferences. More support comes from having more students involved. Once the administration sees how vastly the group has grown we can get these kinds of funds.”