“What do you miss most about your Model United Nations Club?”
I asked this question to a group of students at our MUN Student Leader program last month. They had spent a week learning how to lead their MUN clubs virtually over the coming school year: how to recruit other students, create leadership roles, and make a plan. And we were discussing how we can make new students feel warm and welcome when they come back to school — whether in person or online — and check out the MUN club.
What did they miss?
- “Club bonding activities” – Alyssa T.
- “Debating common topics such as your favorite color, favorite movies, etc just to practice.” – Hannah F.
- “Connecting with everyone and meeting new members.” – Aashita S.
- “Meeting the new club members.” – Alexis J.
- “Our annual beginning of the year banquet.” – Christine K.
Students feel like life under COVID is never-ending. They miss the simple things, like seeing friends and meeting new people. And the MUN students miss doing MUN: practicing public speaking, preparing for conferences, and taking on leadership roles.
From working with hundreds of students virtually since the start of COVID, we’ve seen how important it is for students to be able to do the simple things; many students joined our programs along with their friends. And we’ve seen how impactful it is for students to be able to do MUN; 100% of our students made speeches on Zoom and completed virtual MUN simulations.
But the most important and impactful thing we’ve seen is for students to feel connected to a community.
Students need to feel like they’re meeting and working with other students, not just staring at a screen. They need to feel like they’re debating, negotiating, and collaborating on solving problems that matter, not just doing homework. They need to feel like they can learn, grow, and lead. They need to feel like they’re creating and contributing to a thriving, vibrant community, regardless of whether that community meets in person or online.
And that’s why we created the year-round Virtual Model United Nations Institute, featuring semester-long Courses, monthly Conferences, and a members-only Community.
The Virtual MUN Institute Community features scheduled events, a moderated online platform, and Student Leadership roles.
We’re hosting a wide range of Events to help students meet one another, make friends, and have fun! Events include:
- Student Orientation — students meet each other for the first time and get on-boarded into our online community platform
- Trivia Nights and Game Nights — including UN Jeopardy, Chess tournaments, Settlers of Catan, and more
- Office Hours and Public Speaking Labs — students will get feedback and guidance from MUN Mentors to prepare for MUN conferences and develop public speaking skills
- Guest Speakers — students will hear from great speakers who are striving to make a difference in the world
- And much more!
As members of the Community, students have access to a private “server” on the online platform, Discord. This allows students to chat, start discussions, and host their own video meetings and MUN simulations. When students go through orientation, we train them in the platform’s rules and Best Delegate’s Core Values. The platform is constantly monitored and moderated by MUN Mentors and Best Delegate professional staff.
Students can actively create and contribute to the Community by taking on Leadership Roles. Students can help organize virtual events, chair MUN simulations, and mentor other students. Students are coached by MUN Mentors who help them learn and grow into Leadership Roles. Students take on Leadership Roles by participating in the Community and supporting our rules and Core Values.
After previewing the new MUN Community events and our online platform, here’s what a few our Student Leaders shared:
- “It’s awesome! In terms of content, there is a lot of comprehensive information about MUN and there are a lot of opportunities to connect with other MUN students through the chat and conference call functions.” – Owen L.
- “I like being able to casually and quickly ask questions.” – Yujin P.
- “This is a good tool for collaboration.” – Michael K.
We’re excited to work with our students and MUN Mentors to build the Virtual MUN Institute Community! Students get to make friends and have fun while doing MUN and gaining leadership experience in a safe space online. And most importantly, this is an opportunity for students to create, contribute, and connect with a global community of global citizens and student leaders.
There’s no reason for students to miss out on MUN this school year — check out the Virtual MUN Institute!
Want to learn more about the Virtual MUN Institute and our members-only Community?
We’re hosting Open Houses for Parents and Students:
- Our Parent Open House is on Wednesday September 2nd at Noon Eastern Time — Register Here (pre-registration is Required to Attend)
- Our Student Open House is on Thursday September 3rd at 4pm Eastern Time — Register Here (pre-registration is required to attend)
Both Open Houses will be recorded and sent out to everyone who registers. So if you’re unavailable to attend live, feel free to register and we will send you the recording after.
We look forward to seeing you at the Open House!
