Walking into the downtown Hyatt Regency this weekend was like walking through a time machine. From Akhenaten and Nefertiti’s court in ancient Egypt to the modern-day Security Council, UChicago students transformed the hotel into an ultimate Model UN fan’s dream by finally putting in place months of hard work to run the 14th session of Chicago Model United Nations (ChoMUN).
With a total of 18 committees run by 160 staff members, ChoMUN is the country’s largest crisis-run Model UN conference with a total of 56 American and Canadian universities attending this year. As opposed to most conferences, ChoMUN operates entirely on crises, which, in Model UN jargon, are improvised emergency situations that arise in delegates’ committees and force them to quickly resolve the issue before moving on. The intensity of a crisis-run conference demands an efficient staff with the ability to adapt to spontaneity, and UChicago’s experienced ChoMUN team boasts such a staff.
This has resulted in ChoMUN’s success not only in running UChicago’s annual conference, but also as a competitive team in the U.S. Arguably the best Model UN team in the country (the debate involves Yale), UChicago has its fair share of admirers and rivals, with a few university coaches publicly instructing their teams to “beat UChicago” at conferences. Competing against top teams like Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, and UPenn entails intense training and outstanding performances, and UChicago seems to have both. With Best Large Delegation awards this year at Yale, Georgetown, and UPenn as well as Outstanding Large Delegation awards at Harvard and UC Berkley, UChicago’s Model UN team consistently performs at a highly competitive level.
But what’s the secret formula behind UChicago’s Model UN prowess? Student leader Sean Mirski attributes ChoMUN’s successes to the tight-knit community among the students. As a fourth-year who joined Model UN upon his arrival on campus, Mirski is familiar with the closeness among UChicago’s Model UN members, going so far as to describe the organization as a “frarority” to emphasize the brother- and sisterhood among the students. Through movie nights, parties, and other social events, ChoMUN members seek to build a strong rapport with one another, which helps them come together in planning ChoMUN and competing.
The unbreakable bond makes a huge difference, according to Mirski, in that the students are able to work as a cohesive team. “I’ve noticed that with most university Model UN teams, the focus is very much on the individual and not necessarily on the team as a whole,” Mirski explains. “Because of how close [UChicago Model UN members] are you can always get the help you need since everyone is your friend, even if they are on a completely different committee than you are.”
In other words, while UChicago Model UN members do receive individual awards for their efforts, the main focus is on building the best delegation as opposed to the best delegate. However, despite the team’s successes, Mirski emphasizes that the main goal isn’t to win (“although winning is nice”), but to pick up practical skills that help students in their everyday lives and to teach them how hard work can result in success.
“For me, the most important thing I’ve gained from Model UN is the ability to negotiate, observe other people, and in essence use politicking to work your way up,” Mirski elaborates. “I feel that compared to Mock Trial and Debate, Model UN is more practical than anything else because it teaches you the skills you need to succeed among your peers.”
Shirin Tavakoli from Southern Methodist University agrees, pointing to her experience as a delegate in ChoMUN XIV’s Israeli Mossad committee as evidence. Attending her first crisis-run conference, Tavakoli describes ChoMUN as a “completely different experience” because of its intensity and the amount of practical skill required to succeed.
“[ChoMUN] doesn’t just push you to develop your critical thinking and negotiation skills, but because of the crises you’re pushed to make quick decisions on the fly while trying to come up with a unique solution,” Tavakoli says. “It’s hard, but these are skills that are useful when you start work.”
The challenges of Model UN attract students from all walks of life. Whether students are interested in international affairs or business, Model UN provides the environment to foster a sense of community, cooperation, and politics. These factors make ChoMUN a conference to be enjoyed and determine the successes of UChicago’s Model UN team.