HPU participates in Model United Nations in New York

HPU United Nations Club members gather in the UN General Assembly.

The Hawai‘i Pacific University United Nations Club participated in the National Model United Nations (NMUN). Fourteen students and faculty advisor Serge A. Marek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Geography and International Studies, flew to New York in March. Each year, more than 5,000 college and university students go to New York City each spring to discuss current global issues.

HPU represented two countries at the NMUN, the Independent State of Samoa and, on the Security Council, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. One highlight of the experience is that students met Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia of the Independent State of Samoa and one of his high ranking staff members, Frencella Maureen Strickland-Simonet, Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative, at the Samoan Mission to the United Nations.

"Our team did an outstanding job representing Samoa and the United Kingdom while they worked on building coalitions and writing resolutions that, they hoped, would be adopted by their committees," Marek noted.

For the team representing Samoa, HPU took home a “Distinguished” award, the second highest award given to delegations. The club is also proud of its members who were selected to represent the UK on the Security Council, Megan Pugh and Katarina Lage. The Security Council is considered an intense experience and the hard work of the HPU students was recognized with the highest award of "Outstanding."

Justin Brown, the Secretary General of the HPU United Nations Club, was the Head Delegate for this team. "Justin performed his duties with great professionalism and effort," Marek said. "His efforts are a one of the main reasons we managed to be awarded in two categories."

Participation in the NMUN conference promotes a wide range of skills central to the HPU mission. Students learn to write professional papers, practice decorum and professionalism, while learning to negotiate in a manner that is both grounded in diplomacy but also based on representing the views of their designated country’s government.

Congratulations to the Hawai‘i Pacific University United Nations Club!

Hawaiʻi Pacific University United Nations Club
National Model United Nations Conference, 2016 Official Roster

Anabel Von Jackowski
Year: Senior
Major: Marine Biology
Place of Origin: Berlin, Germany
NMUN Committee: UNEP (Environmental Governance, Sustainable Management Practices)

Ashllyn Nikole Melo-Pang (Club Secretary)
Year: Senior
Major: Communication
Place of Origin: Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii
NMUN Committee: General Assembly 4 (Special Political & Decolonization)

Gabriella Celedon (Club Historian)
Year: Sophomore
Major: International Studies
Place of Origin: Queens, New York
NMUN Committee: POASAL (Small Arms, Light Weapons, Gender Sensitive Approaches)

Haven McKay
Year: Freshman
Major: International Business
Place of Origin: Murrieta, California
NMUN Committee: General Assembly 1 (Weapons Control, International & Cyber Security)

Jaclyn Dolski
Year: Sophomore
Major: International Studies/TESOL certificate
Place of Origin: Montreal, Canada
NMUN Committee: Habitat 3 (Climate Change, Urban Issues, Disaster Reduction)

Justin Brown (Club President/Head Delegate)
Year: Graduate student
Discipline: M.Ed. Secondary Studies: Social Sciences
Place of Origin: Chicago, Illinois
NMUN Committee: GA 2 (Development, Sustainability, Poverty Reduction)

Katarina Lage
Year: Junior
Major: International Studies
Place of Origin: Bismarck, North Dakota
Security Council: United Kingdom

Kayleigh Rogers (Club Historian)
Year: Sophomore
Major: Elementary Education
Place of Origin: Hoboken, New Jersey
NMUN Committee: POASAL (Small Arms, Light Weapons, Gender Sensitive Approaches)

Kristine Kivle
Year: Freshman
Major: Diplomacy & Military Studies
Place of Origin: Notodden, Norway
NMUN Committee: General Assembly 1 (Weapons Control, International & Cyber Security)

Krittika Nimar
Year: Sophomore
Major: International Relations
Place of Origin: Chicago, Illinois
NMUN Committee: GA 2 (Development, Sustainability, Poverty Reduction)

Madison Bonney
Year: Junior
Major: International Studies
Place of Origin: Lake Elsinore, California
NMUN Committee: Habitat 3 (Climate Change, Urban Issues, Disaster Reduction)

Megan Pugh (Club Vice President)
Year: Sophomore
Major: International Business
Place of Origin: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Security Council: United Kingdom

Sharon MaCallan
Year: Freshman
Major: Marine Biology
Place of Origin: Berlin, Germany
NMUN Committee: UNEP (Environmental Governance, Sustainable Management Practices)

Theodore P. Simonelli III (Treasurer)
Year: Junior
Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Place of Origin: Kalamazoo, Michigan
NMUN Committee: General Assembly 4 (Special Political & Decolonization)