UPDATE: The Model U.N. Team has been ranked in the top 25 of Best Delegate’s fall 2012 North American College Model U.N. Rankings. Clark is number 14 on the list of 50 schools, released Dec. 18.Also in the top 25 were Harvard, Yale, Georgetown and Columbia.
Original post, from Oct. 22, 2012:
The Clark University Model U.N. Team performance at the Yale National Security Simulation 2012 Conference heralded a new milestone for the team. For the first time ever, Clark’s Model UN team captured the Outstanding Small Delegation Team Award, competing against top U.S. and international teams at the conference, held Oct. 4 to 7 in New Haven, Conn.
From humble beginnings, the Clark team has gone from strength to strength, team faculty adviser Srini Sitaraman, associate professor of political science, noted. “It is a great credit to Clark’s team that they not only remain competitive but are able to win top honors among schools with far larger pools of delegates.”
Adding to the Clark delegation’s team award were outstanding performances by individuals. Seasoned Model U.N. veterans Mayya Abdullaeva ’13 and Michael Harper ’13 each managed to win a Best Delegate Award, which goes to the top delegates from various committees. Rising star Melat Seyoum ’15 earned an Honorable Mention Award for her performance. Other Clark students participating were Head Delegate Samer Said ’13, Bridget Healy ’13, Yohan Senarath ’14, Nicholas Hyman ’13, and Bryan Diehl ’14.
The Clark Model U.N. Program is sponsored by the Political Science Department and the Clark University Student Council. Team members participate in three Model U.N. Conferences every year: Yale University Security Council Conference (SCSY) in October, Harvard University National Model UN Conference (HNMUN) in February, and Five Colleges at Mount Holyoke (FCMUN) in April.
Professor Sitaraman has been the faculty adviser and instructor of this active learning course since fall 2003. According to Academic Insight, the Yale National Security Simulation is an annual Model U.N. (M.U.N.) conference that provides students the opportunity to participate in crisis-based committees that work at an expedient pace, simulating how the United Nations might respond in a real disaster.
This conference has taken place for 35 years, and is run by the Yale International Relations Association. Drawing from top M.U.N. competitors around the globe, the conference brings approximately 400 delegates each year. University students can participate from any country of origin. The Clark University Model U.N. team is supported by the Department of Political Science.
Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a small, liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale. Nationally renowned as a college that changes lives, Clark is emerging as a transformative force in higher education today. LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice) is Clark’s pioneering model of education that combines a robust liberal arts curriculum with life-changing world and workplace experiences. Clark’s faculty and students work across boundaries to develop solutions to contemporary challenges in the areas of psychology, geography, management, urban education, Holocaust and genocide studies, environmental studies, and international development and social change. The Clark educational experience embodies the University’s motto: Challenge convention. Change our world. www.clarku.edu
