The Hamline University Model United Nations earned awards in individual and team events at the national conference held in New York City at the beginning of the month.

“The team did just a phenomenal job. They took it seriously and understood the positions very well,” senior and HU Model United Nations President Anne Marie Stark said.

The annual conference features Model United Nations teams from around the world. Prior to the conference, each team is assigned a country to represent. They partake in the United Nations process and discuss issues that are currently relevant at the United Nations.

“This makes the conference very authentic,” Director to the HU Model United Nations team Karen Vogel said. “It’s as close to the real United Nations as you can get.”

Vogel served her second year as a member of the National Model United Nations Conference Faculty Advisor. She was elected to participate in this position by faculty who are involved with in Model United Nations programs around the country.

Vogel also arranged for the team to visit a variety of people and organizations while attending the conference in New York. This year’s meetings included Amierah Ismail, the Permanent Officer and Liaison to the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The team also visited the staff of the United Nations Women to discuss their current actions and initiatives.

Carla Smith, a Hamline alum, hosted the team for lunch and talked about opportunities regarding graduate and law school.

The team received an Honorable Mention for Outstanding Delegation for their work representing Rwanda in simulations of the Security Council, General Assembly and other United Nations committees and organizations. Sophomore and Head Delegate for the HU team Melissa Barnes and senior Hannah Roberg were recognized for their work on the United Nations High Commission on Refugees with an award for Outstanding Position Paper.

Barnes said that the team portrayed their country well and was happy with the team’s result.

“The team did very well. For us to get an award was very exciting,” Barnes said.

Stark was thrilled with how the team worked together.

“I was impressed with the passion that the students had,” Stark said.

Vogel estimated that about 180 schools with a total of 2,800 students from around the world attended the conference.

“Representation at the conference is very diverse,” Vogel said.

The closing ceremony for the conference was held in the location currently used as the Great Hall at the United Nations, which was an exciting experience for Stark.

“It gives a sense of humility,” Stark said. “I always leave the UN wanting to change the world.”

For Barnes, her favorite visit was to the diplomatic staff at the United Nations Permanent Mission of Rwanda.

“We were able to tell if we were on the right path with our country,” Barnes said.

Barnes said that all of the individuals the team met with left the opportunity for “open contact and continued communication.”

Stark, who participated with the HU Model United Nations team all four of her years at Hamline, plans to continue working with Model United Nations chapters in Oregon after she graduates in the spring.

The team completes much of the work for the conference prior to arriving in New York. Much of this involves practice for the simulations and preparing papers on international issues.

Applications to join the team open in the fall and involve an interview and selection process, conducted by Vogel and other team leadership members.

As for this year’s team, Vogel was delighted with their performance.

“The whole team was wonderful and everyone performed very well,” Vogel said. “I’m just so proud of all of them.”