Competing against more than 600 students from five countries, HSU undergraduates, including three from Arcata, one from McKinleyville, and one from Lake County, were honored for outstanding academic preparation and participation.
HSU political science major Leah Dehnert of Arcata, representing “the U.S.,” was named best delegate of the five-day conference’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Humboldt State’s 30-strong delegation, one of this year’s largest teams, was led by Professor Noah Zerbe of the Department of Politics. The students are enrolled in Zerbe’s Model U.N. course, which explores the international body’s system of governance and functions.
Based in part on their outstanding performance at the conference over the past several years, three HSU students will serve as committee chairs at next year’s conference. In addition, Zerbe was elected at the recent meeting to the conference’s Board of Directors.
During the simulation, students play the role of diplomats representing their respective countries in international negotiations. HSU ‘diplomats’ debated a wide array of contemporary international issues and U.N. policy with students from Australia, Canada, the Philippines, Russia, and the U.S.
This year’s issues included meeting the needs of the internally displaced, promoting rural agricultural development, preparing for environmental refugees and dealing with the crisis in Libya.
Humboldt State’s Model U.N. program will be offered again in the Spring 2012 semester. For information, contact Noah Zerbe at 707-826-3911 or noah.zerbe@humboldt.edu.
Photo information: Front row (left to right): Trever McSwain, Rose Brink-Capriola, Xueyun Mu, Olivia Cruz, Leah Dehnert (Arcata), Robin Ray (Arcata), Courtney Hanson, Lizz Fehr, Calvin Li; middle row: Aaron Wilyer, Jenny Ford, Bridget McGraw, Grace Goodson, Adrianna O’Donnell, Jason Lovell, Felicia Asbury, Toni Morzenti, Sarah Fine (Lake County), Noah Zerbe; back row: Seth Bradley (Arcata), John Callahan, Joanna Schultz, Gracie Perez, Zack Beasley, Hayden Thomas, Jeff Coomber (McKinleyville), Victor Reuther, Theo Blizzard, Richard McKnight, Evan Reid, Matthew Rodriguez.