Now, I’m not saying that we should cancel all sports teams and other clubs and replace them with Model U…OK, maybe I am. But before you dismiss me as some sort of Model UN extremist, hear me out.
Only those who have experienced Model UN can understand that it’s so much more than what it appears to be on the surface. While some may see a bunch of nerdy kids waving around gavels, as you laugh at us, we are the ones beating out the business kids for the jobs they claim to be “exclusively” for them. The invaluable skills and traits many Fortune 500 companies seek are all things MUNer shave been developing: complex problem-solving skills, the ability to think critically, creativity, and emotional intelligence. These are all the things MUN kids do best.
Former Chief Finance Officer of a reputable university International Relations Organization recently shared with me that he beat out eight other qualified candidates, all of whom had business or engineering degrees, for a consulting job at Deloitte. Although he did not possess either a business or engineering degree, he was told by the hiring team that it was his Model UN experience that set him apart. Despite what some may believe, Model UN is not just for those who hope to become Secretary-General of the United Nations. It attracts those from all walks of life who are often driven, ambitious and worldly.
This brings me to my next point: MUN provides the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who share the same passions and zest for life. They are the types of people who will challenge and motivate you to be better, and it doesn’t hurt that you may make lifelong friends along the way.
Among these many benefits is one that I think is particularly important considering the political climate in which we live today. In the past few years, it seems we have progressively lost the ability to communicate civilly with people whose views differ from ours. We are surrounded by a world of people who refuse to “work across the aisle,” who refuse to compromise. MUN doesn’t just encourage its participants to debate with respect and decency, it requires you to do so.
Delegates representing countries all across the globe, bringing very different views on how the world should look, but all sharing a common goal of putting aside these differences to find the middle ground. This skill is invaluable, and it’s something that many MUNers take with them through their lives. Delegates gain a deep understanding of the diverse cultures and ways of life around the world and through that, foster a deep sense of cultural sensitivity, tolerance, and acceptance.
I would be remiss not to mention the reason many students are attracted to MUN in the first place: the sheer thrill of competition. Only MUNers can understand the wave of adrenaline, passion, and a slight fear that rushes through your body when you stand up in front of your committee to make a speech.
Despite being nearly a decade ago, I remember my first conference like it was yesterday: suit pants on, jacket tight, tie perfectly knotted, sitting beside my partner fiddling with my papers. The chair opens up the speaker’s list and with no clue of what I am going to say, my partner raises our plaque to get us on the list. Once the chair accepts our request, we begin to scramble to put our thoughts together, and before we know it the chair calls on us. “Thailand” she announces. My partner scrambles to get our last few thoughts on paper, quickly hands it to me and before I know it I am standing at the podium, hundreds of people staring, and there is no more time to think, you just do.
Nothing requires profound adaptability and the capacity to succeed under challenging and fast-paced circumstances quite like Model UN. You learn quickly that there is no pausing, because, just like in the real world, no one is going to stop for you. That’s a lesson I am grateful to have learned as early as I did.
Circling back to my original point, maybe it was extreme to say no other co-curricular activity should I exist – I’ll grant you that. However, I believe every student would benefit greatly from experiencing Model UN at least once in their lives. I know what it has done for me, and I am excited to see what it will do for you.
