Weeks of preparation proved fruitful for Clark University’s Model United Nations team as three members picked up individual awards during Brown University’s annual conference held March 3.
Head delegate Josh Merchat ’19 won Outstanding Delegate for his committee work, while Alex Chilton ’20 and David Sullivan ’20 independently won Best Delegate in their respective committees.
“The strong performance of Clark’s travel team was a product of our training,” says Merchat, who led the team for the first time.
Merchat, Chilton and Sullivan all credited the mentorship of Corie Welch ’17 and Brendan Burgess ’18, who lead Clark’s Model UN program.
“I went into the weekend prepared and dead set on being the best in the committee, just as the head delegates taught me,” Sullivan says. “The bar is set high for Model UN at Clark, and it’s the reason our travel team is among the best.”
Chilton, who also attended conferences at Columbia and Harvard, said prior experience along with research and hard work contributed to his success.
Clark’s Model UN program wins competitive awards, hosts its own conferences and counts successful alumni in law, finance and government, among other fields. Over the past decade, it has developed a strong reputation throughout New England – one that drew Chilton to the team upon enrolling at Clark and evokes a sense of pride in Sullivan.
“Over the past six months, I’ve learned more about success in Model UN than I did in two years as my high school team’s head delegate,” Sullivan says. “Clark’s Model UN team is made of amazing, driven individuals and their passion is what makes Clark a Model UN powerhouse.”
Team member Cory Bisbee ’19 says the team’s current strength makes for a bright future.
“From your first year at Clark, you have opportunities to compete,” he says. “It’s because of these opportunities and the training and mentorship from other team members that we always have a great talent pool from which to draw.”
