“You can be catalysts for change…as leaders of the future, you can come up with innovative approaches to help confront the challenges facing the global community.”
— UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, address to Model UN participants, March 2008.
Located only two express subway stops from the iconic United Nations complex on the East River, Pace University’s New York City Model UN program has a 60-year history of excellence in regional, national and international conferences. In October 1950, Pace fielded its first Model UN team, representing Ecuador at the ‘Intercollegiate Model Meeting of the United Nations Security Council’ at the UN headquarters just a year after the building was built.
In recent years the program has maintained this proud legacy by winning recognition at prestigious conferences for the team’s ability to cogently analyze complex global issues, engage articulately in policy debate and propose compelling solutions. In 2007, Pace New York City and Westchester Model UN teams together set the record for first place awards per university at the National Model UN conference in New York City and has consistently won numerous awards in that annual competition and many others. In 2011, the team took home the most awards (tied with another university) from the North American Model UN conference in Toronto, as well as the most awards from the National Model UN conference in Washington DC. For our historic honor roll of awards, from 1973 onwards, click here.
“Being a part of Model UN at Pace exposed me to the inner workings of the UN and helped me understand how certain decisions are made on a worldwide level,” says Anneliese Blommestein ’10.
Model UN at Pace is uniquely integrated into the Political Science curriculum within the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences. We believe that Model UN fosters students’ familiarity with world politics, cross-cultural awareness, leadership capacity, public speaking abilities, knowledge of legislative rules of order and problem-solving skills. Model UN is thus offered both as a class, in which students are exposed to lectures, exercises and simulations designed to prepare them to participate in conferences. The class – POL303A and POL303C– is offered every semester and can be taken three times for credit.
“The Model UN team on the New York City campus is an irreplaceable learning experience,” says Coty Sibbach, who graduated in 2010. “Not only do you get to interact with other politically passionate people, but you gain a wealth of knowledge on the structure and procedures of the United Nations, and practice essential communication skills.”
Many Pace students find in model UN a community of likeminded colleagues who share an interest in global issues. “Model UN has not only made me a better person, but it has also opened my arms to a new family,” says Amanda Corsaro ’12, a former head delegate of the program. “I couldn’t be more thankful for such an amazing experience.”