Pace University New York City Model United Nations Head Delegate Jennifer Diaz ’16, representing China in a simulation of the Security Council at the 2016 Geneva International Model UN conference in Switzerland.
Coming into Pace, I never would have imagined being a Political Science and Peace and Justice Studies double major. Now, four years later, I love that I made the decision to switch my major. I participated in Model UN for four semesters and can say that it was the best decision I made at Pace. Model UN allowed me to discover what I want to do after college and opened a world of possibilities. I transitioned from a student in the class to a head delegate and I am proud to have been a leader among my fellow students; it was an amazing opportunity.
I participated at conferences in Washington DC, Oslo, and Geneva. Each experience was unique and helped me grow. Model UN helped me improve my writing, research and public speaking skills. Prior to Model UN, I had never been to Europe so I was ecstatic to learn that I would be representing South Africa in the Human Rights Council at OsloMUN in Norway. This year, I was able to represent China in the Security Council at the 2016 Geneva International Model UN conference in Switzerland. This was definitely one of the most difficult assignments I held. I learned about what it means to be one of the five Permanent Members on the Security Council and the power and responsibility that comes with it.
Being a head delegate is the accomplishment at Pace of which I am most proud. I knew it would be a time demanding position but was also aware that it would help me grow while being able to help fellow peers in the class. I was able to help first semester delegates learn the skills needed in order to succeed in Model UN and was able to guide through them through the experience. For me, this was a rewarding opportunity.
I feel grateful to have had the experience to be a part of the Model UN team for the past two years. I leave Pace with great memories and many of them have come from being in Model UN where I met many people that are passionate about the same things as me. I look forward to being able to apply the skills I gained post-graduation.
– Jennifer Diaz ’16.