Model United Nations, a student-run group at CU, focuses on learning diplomatic, public speaking and debate skills. Each member of the MUN picks a country to represent. Then, they research thoroughly and debate from that country’s perspective. The members showing the most devotion and skill in representing their country are chosen to go to conferences and compete with other schools from around the nation.
This year, the MUN is going to a conference in Las Vegas first semester and a conference in New York second semester. Since MUN does not have a faculty sponsor, members get the money they need to travel to conferences through donations and fundraisers.
Last year at the conference in New York, the group received an honorable mention.
“An honorable mention correlates to a third-place ranking,” said Kristina Getty, vice president of MUN and sophomore international affairs major.
The ranking is impressive because over four hundred schools from around the nation competed in the conference.
In addition to weekly meetings and the conferences, members of the MUN share their passion for international affairs with the rest of the students at CU by bringing in a speaker every year to talk to students about international issues.
Last year’s speaker was Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapon inspector in Iraq. The MUN is already working on finding someone to come to CU and speak this year.
Though the group is composed mostly of international affairs or political science majors, it is not restricted to those majors.
“We welcome diversity. One of the best members of our team last year was an MCDB major,” Getty said.
If you are interested in joining the MUN, check out the group’s Web site at www.colorado.edu/StudentGroups/mun/.
