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| Cal Poly Pomona?s 2004 National Model United Nations (NMUN) team won a coveted Outstanding Delegation Award and an Outstanding Position Paper Award at the annual NMUN conference, held April 5-10 in New York City. |
Cal Poly Pomona?s 2004 National Model United Nations (NMUN) team accomplished another stellar performance at the annual NMUN conference, held April 5-10 in New York City. The team won a coveted Outstanding Delegation Award, the highest honor presented by the national conference. For the fourth consecutive year, the team won an Outstanding Position Paper Award. In addition, Cal Poly Pomona graduate Jennifer Franco assumed the position of NMUN Secretary?General, the top administrator of the entire conference.
This is the seventh straight year that Cal Poly Pomona has been an award-winner at the NMUN, the largest student-administered conference in the country. In 2004, the conference attracted its largest number of participants. More than 3,000 students from universities in the United States and from 23 different foreign countries attended. About 40 percent of the student delegates were from overseas, highlighting the cosmopolitan character of this conference.
Cal Poly Pomona represented the country of Syria this year. In a rigorous preparatory course, students studied the history, culture, demography, politics and foreign policy of Syria, the history and activities of the United Nations, world geography and current world affairs, and the rules and procedures of international diplomacy.
Students also were granted a briefing session with the Syrian Consulate in Newport Beach and, while in New York, received a briefing at the Syrian Mission to the United Nations, where Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad conversed with students for two hours. Ambassador Mekdad had served as president of the Security Council during the difficult summer months of 2003, when the Iraqi incursion was of uppermost concern to the Council (and to the world).
Cal Poly Pomona?s 16-member team represented Syria on eight of the 24 committees, organizations, councils, and specialized agencies simulated at the conference. In addition, one of the university?s students was selected to serve on the 15-member International Court of Justice.
The Outstanding Delegation Award places Cal Poly Pomona in the top 3 percent of colleges and universities who send their best students to the conference. The Outstanding Position Paper Award is presented for the research papers individual students must submit a month prior to the conference, detailingwith consummate style and skill and considerable datathe Syrian position on complex issues of international relations.
This year, the respected position of NMUN Secretary-General — the top administrator of the entire conference — was Cal Poly Pomona graduate Jennifer Franco. An honor graduate from the political science department, Franco is currently working for the California State Senate. She was a student delegate on the university?s award-winning 1999 Lebanon team, and was head delegate for the 2000 Finnish team, which she guided to a Distinguished Delegation award.
Student members of this year?s team and their hometowns are:
- Sara Shokravi (head delegate), Glendora
- Astineh Arakelian, Glendale
- Natalie M. Carlson, Glendale
- Jesse Cerda, Fontana
- David M. Johnson, Glendora
- Kseniya M. Khovanova, Washington D.C.
- Clinton Lorimore, Glendora
- Thomas L. Majich II, Pasadena
- Ramona Montayne, Claremont
- Raymond Muro, Cerritos
- Paul T. Nurre, Upland
- Puja D. Patel, Anaheim
- Richard D. Reese Jr., Barbarton, Ohio
- Joshua A. Roche, Upland
- Courtney E. Wood, Lodi
- Daniel F. Yuhasz, Norco
Faculty Adviser John Moore, professor of History, noted that ?this group of students performed at the highest academic and diplomatic level imaginable while at the same time demonstrating a sophistication, sense of humor, and collegial spirit that made my New York visit one of the most memorable of the many years I have attended the NMUN. We worked hard, enjoyed one another?s company, were recognized as a delegation of the highest quality, and proudly represented our university.?