Student delegates impress at regional conference

Model UN is open to students of all majors and can be taken as the two-credit course PS 362. In Oakland's sixth year, 11 students traveled to Cleveland for the Lake Erie Model UN Conference to compete against students from colleges and universities across the nation.

During the event, students were evaluated based on how well they represented the interests of different countries on United Nations committees and organizations. Judged as “excellent” in their performance, the following students took home individual honors: 

• Michael Williams, El Salvador on the UN Conference on Trade and Development
• Marissa Coloske, Qatar on the UN Conference on Trade and Development
• Jenna Blankenship, Austria on the UN Commission on the Status of Women
• Alexa James, Turkey on the UN Commission on the Status of Women. 

“For this competition, students discussed issues such as the battle against ISIS, eliminating violence against women, debt and development, and the status of stateless persons,” said Dr. Paul Kubicek, professor of political science and the Model UN coordinator.  “Through participating in Model UN, students learn in a very hands-on manner about diverse perspectives on international issues and, often, how difficult it is for countries to reach agreement on what should be done.”  

Other schools at the conference included Miami University, Ohio State University, and Youngstown State University. 

Model UN is open to students of all majors and can be taken as the two-credit course PS 362. This is Oakland’s sixth year in the program, and the team has established a consistent record of success at conferences.

This February, OU plans to compete in the North American Model United Nations Conference in Toronto. For more information on Oakland’s Model UN team, contact Dr. Kubicek at kubicek@oakland.edu.