Pace University students (left to right) Kevin Kelly ’17, Jackson Morris ’18, Colin Morse ’19 and John Smith ’17, outside United Nations Headquarters following the Closing Ceremony of the 2016 National Model UN conference in New York.
Signing up for the Model United Nations class (POL303C United Nations Workshop) and attending the 2016 National Model UN conference in New York was one of the best decisions I have made at Pace University. Model UN is about so much more than just learning rules of procedure or voting on resolutions. It has given me confidence, experience, and the crucial knowledge of how to interact, behave, and succeed in a professional environment.
When I first signed up for Model UN I felt lost. But over the course of the semester I gradually understood more about what my role as a diplomat from Costa Rica would be. Speaking with with an actual Costa Rica diplomat, Maritza Chan, via Skype in class, researching numerous databases, and listening to Professor Matthew Bolton and the Head Delegates informed me tremendously about a country I had never visited.
I apply what I have learned in Model UN now every day. This class has taught me that I must apply myself more if I want to succeed. Regarding my other classes and my career, Model UN has taught me that hard work, professionalism, respect, and a hunger for knowledge are required in everything I do. I am eternally grateful for this experience and wish I was not graduating, so I could take this class again next year.
– Kevin Kelly ‘17