Select Page

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Model United Nations team won numerous delegation, position paper, and committee awards at the 2011 National Model United Nations, the world’s largest Model United Nations. 

The UW Oshkosh delegation representing Namibia won both an Outstanding Delegation and an Outstanding Position Paper Award, and the UW Oshkosh delegation representing Barbados received both an Outstanding Position Paper Award and a Distinguished Delegation Award at sessions held April 18-23 at UN Headquarters in New York.  This was the 27th consecutive year the UW Oshkosh won awards at the National Model United Nations.  UW Oshkosh was the only university to win two Position Paper Awards at the 2011 National Model UN.

The week-long 2011 National Model United Nations involved over 5,000 students from over 300 universities on five continents.  Student delegates debated a wide range of current issues and world events, using the same rooms and facilities as the global diplomats at the United Nations.  The concluding General Assembly was held in the Great Hall at UN headquarters, and several UW Oshkosh students had the opportunity to speak from the marble rostrum from which the presidents, prime ministers, and kings of the world’s nations speak.

UW Oshkosh students won a sensational eight Delegates’ Choice Awards, by vote of the participating delegates, in the nine committees on which their countries were represented. 

Students are judged on their diplomatic and negotiating skills, their ability to write legal documents that embody the agreements reached, the accuracy with which they represent their respective nations, their knowledge of global issues, their familiarity with the United Nations system and its procedures, practices, bodies, and committees, and their speaking ability.

During the competition, UW Oshkosh students met with the ambassadors and diplomats representing both Namibia and Barbados for briefing sessions based entirely on student questions.  These Diplomats reviewed and commented on the student written position papers, noting that the papers accurately reflected the views of each of the nations they represented, and praised the knowledge of global issues demonstrated in the papers. Ambassador Joseph E. Goddard of Barbados stated that “The amount of research demonstrated in the papers is very impressive.”  After answering student questions Mr. Selwin Hart, Counsellor of the Barbados Mission to the United Nations, was “Impressed by how much your students know” about developing countries and the issues before the United Nations.   

The students also met for separate briefings with UN officials from the United Nations Department of Disarmament, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the newly formed UN Women office, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the World Intellectual Property Organization. 

The members of the UW Oshkosh delegation representing Namibia were:  Austin R. Jones, Waukesha, head delegate; Susan M. Asselin, Sheboygan Falls; Ross M. Bartelt, Franklin; Allison M. Corbin, Merna, IL; David G. Cottingham, Green Bay; Thomas E. Demailly, Orsay, France; Kasey A. Erb, Marshall; Ryan A. Hackbarth, Oshkosh; Katie C. Keelan, Wauwatosa; Rebecca R. Kemnitz, Wausau; David M. Litman, Fond du Lac; Brenna M. Ranzen, Madison; Robert R. Reeves IV, Oshkosh; Scott T. Ryman, Belvidere, IL; Anna C. Schlender, Kimberly; and Sarah M. Speigle, Cottage Grove.

The members of the UW Oshkosh delegation representing Barbados were: Madeline J. Meis, Pittsville, head delegate; Emily E. Berger, Oshkosh; Aaron T. Cook, Beaver Dam; Jennifer R. Elkins, Sister Bay; Zachary L. Fritschel, West Bend; Marni A. Hoest, Menasha; Victor O. Luk’yanov, Oshkosh; and Timothy J. Suess, Oshkosh.

Participating universities included Pace, Colorado, Syracuse, Georgia, Maryland, West Virginia, California Polytechnic, Pittsburgh, Idaho, Montana, Washington State, the City University of New York, Vassar College, the University of London, the Free University of Berlin, the Universidad del Valle de Mexico, the American University of Cairo, the Catholic University Andres Bello of Ecuador, Imperial College of London, the University of Quebec,  Northwestern Polytechnic University of China, the College of Europe and the Associazione Diplomatica of Italy.

Kenneth Grieb, coordinator, international studies program, submitted this announcement. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to contribute calendar items, campus announcements and other good news to UW Oshkosh Today.