On Thursday, Jan. 16, Model United Nations students traveled to the Big Apple for a conference at Columbia University in New York City. Ben Cady, Social Studies teacher and Model UN Advisor, said that “I thought it went great…they [students] seemed to have a really good time.”
This particular competition was a Crisis Conference resulting in long and hectic days for each student. “Each day was super busy…we had to usually be [at the conference] at 10 a.m. and had multiple sessions that lasted a few hours each time,” said Cady. He added: “As teachers from 10 a.m. to dinner time, we didn’t see them much.”
The Columbia Model United Nations Conference is one of the country’s top conferences bringing delegates from various countries to participate in a unique and challenging debate-like experience. “It was very surprising…seeing people who came from New Zealand and places all around the world,” said Zachary Dresner ‘27.
In order to participate in the conference, each student had to apply and write multiple position papers. These conferences enrich not only collaboration but also analytical abilities. “There’s critical thinking skills, writing skills, oratory skills, and plus you’ve got people on your side,” claimed Cady.
Shucayb Harir ‘26 emphasized the importance of collaboration and preparation during these conferences as Upper School students frequently worked with students from other schools who they didn’t know. “We didn’t really do anything together…we mostly had different, separate committees that we prepared for,” said Harir. He added, “You would just walk in and would have to collaborate with different competitors from different schools to find solutions.” Cady added to Harir’s opinion, saying “You’re now in this situation with a lot of people who you don’t know. So being able to navigate that [is important]…being able to form a team and then complete a goal, seems like something that you really get through Model UN.”
Model UN conferences stand out as great opportunities to learn no matter your experience. Max Unglaub ‘26, who has done Model UN since middle school, noted “It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot and met a lot of great people.” While Dresner, a newer member of the club added that “it was a good experience because I got to meet many new people and improve on my prior skills.”
In the coming weeks, there is a local Model UN competition taking place at the Marriott Hotel in Minneapolis. Unglaub, who will be participating, said “I think it will be an exciting opportunity to apply what I learned from New York to this upcoming competition. I think it’s an exciting opportunity to learn different perspectives and different sides of debate.”
