21 February 2017
SPOKANE, Wash.
The Gonzaga University Model United Nations (GUMUN) won Outstanding Delegation at the Northwest Model United Nations conference, which took place in Portland February 17-19. This award is the conference’s top prize, and it signifies that students were outstanding in accurately representing the foreign policy positions of their assigned countries, exhibiting knowledge of their topics, contributing to consensus building in their committees, and drafting resolutions to solve global issues.
Additionally, the following Gonzaga delegates won individual awards in committees:
- Xenon Berkeley ’17— Outstanding Delegate, Commission on Narcotic Drugs
- Ailey Hansen ’17— Outstanding Delegate, United Nations Environmental Assembly
- Emily Hintsala ’18— Outstanding Position Paper, Human Rights Council – Universal Periodic Review
- Tristana Leist ’17— Distinguished Delegate, Security Council
Notably, GUMUN alumna Kaitlin Sandin ’11 was on the conference’s Advisory Board and former Head Delegate of GUMUN Rachel Gantz was the Director of the Security Council.
The entire delegation included:
- Joseph Harshbarger ’17, Secretary General
- Macgregor Sheppard ’17, Head Delegate
- Jimmy Apffel ’20
- Xenon Berkeley ’17
- Taylor Carnevale ’19
- Alex Casanas ’17
- Jack Gallagher ’17
- Aizley Hansen ’17
- Connor Hayes ’18
- Emily Hintsala ’18
- Carlo Juntilla ’18
- Tristana Leist ’17
- Jackson Murphy ’18
- Rylie Ploeger ’17
- Matt Quetti ’17
- Ladd Serwat ’17
- JamesDaniel Valle ’18
GUMUN Faculty Advisor and Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Stacy Taninchev says, “I have long tried to de-emphasize the awards and tell the students that we go not to compete, but to experience stepping into the shoes of another country and working with others to solve global issues. But… I could not be prouder of these students!”
Later this spring, Gonzaga University Model UN will head to New York City for the National Model United Nations conference, where they’ll join over 5,000 college students, more than half of whom hail from outside the United States.