Verna Yam : UBCMUN 2016 Secretary General

This week, UBC Her Campus had the pleasure of interviewing Verna Yam, UBC Model United Nations 2016 Secretary General. We spoke to the 2nd year International Relations major about her involvement and contributions here at UBC. 

What are you involved in here at UBC, any groups, or organizations?

Just a handful! I am Vice President Internal and Head Delegate for UBC’s Model United Nations Student Association (MUNSA), which trains and sends teams to MUN conferences abroad and in Vancouver.  Being on the MUNSA Executive Team has been an extremely valuable experience, as I’ve learnt how to deal with last minute changes or unexpected surprises and not get too upset over them.  I’ve also had a lot of fun meeting many new people through it, especially at large scale events like Imagine Day or Clubs Days!

In addition, I am a member of the Rotaract Club of Vancouver, which is part of an international service organization.  For Rotaract, I run a district-wide mentorship program that links post-secondary Rotaractors to high schools students.  I also had the opportunity to participate in our club’s international service trip last year to Sichuan, China, where we worked with People Afflicted with Leprosy.  Rotaract activities have reminded me to be aware of the wellbeing of others around us, though we might be busy with our own commitments already.  Sometimes, a small, simple action can significantly help another person.

I am an Arts Co-op student as well.  Integrating job application writing as part of my daily routine has been tiring, but I have already gained valuable practice in effective communication by writing so many applications.  Also, I am sure the work I put in will be worth it in the end – though I do not have any jobs lined up yet for my intended work terms, I am excited to plunge into the working world and discover more about myself there!

When did you first become involved in UBCMUN?

Having loved MUN in high school, I was intent on continuing MUN in university.  Thus, I delegated for nearly every conference I could go to with UBC’s MUN team, which of course included UBCMUN.  I was blown away by the great conference experience UBCMUN provided: not only was every aspect of the conference well organized and ran smoothly, UBCMUN introduced innovative elements that were extremely successful in engaging the delegates, such as the International Press Corps that sparked debate with their reports and the integration of social media into the conference.

I came back to UBCMUN again in my second year, this time as a staff member.  I enjoyed the experience greatly and it has taught me self-motivation, since I had to do a lot of research about migrant smuggling in the summer (of all times in the year!).  The research was definitely well worth it, and I find the knowledge I learnt through the process useful in many situations, such as my global politics course, since it is an international issue.

What has been your favourite experience from MUN?

It’s hard to choose one, as I love almost all aspects of MUN: from being forced to negotiate and compromise with large rival blocs in committee, to downtime with fellow delegates in hotel rooms and hallways.  But perhaps the most memorable conference I delegated at was National MUN New York.  It was there that I realized the breadth of the MUN world (and the world) as I met delegates from every other continent.  The closing ceremonies were held at the United Nations, which was an incredible feeling as I realized that I was in the very room where the highest level of international cooperation takes place.  Winning Outstanding Delegation with an amazing team while representing Ukraine (National MUN took place right after the annexation of Crimea) was the cherry on top of it all!

What are your goals for UBCMUN 2016?

I hope to continue the outstanding legacy of quality and professionalism left behind by previous Secretariat teams and to further improve delegate’s academic experience.  UBCMUN 2016 will see an even better trained and supportive staff team that can enrich delegates’ understanding of international affairs by creating an environment that challenges delegates to dig deeper into these international issues and achieve even more with their resolutions to solve the topic.

How can Students get involved?

Stay tuned for updates about delegate registration, staff applications and volunteer applications on the UBCMUN website , Facebook and Twitter .For a team environment and training before you participate in UBCMUN, check out MUNSA.  MUNSA membership also gives you opportunities to travel to conferences abroad, so the website for more information: www.ubcmunsa.com.