by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
Eight student diplomats from Kansas City Kansas Community College recently received “Certificates of Achievement” for their performance in the 21st-annual Model United Nations Conference at the University of California-Berkeley.
In addition, Professor Ewa Unoke was awarded a “Certificate of Dedication” in recognition of his outstanding mentorship at the conference.
The Model United Nations Conference was March 2 to 5 in San Francisco. During the simulation, student delegates worked with more than 1,500 student delegates from 41 colleges and universities to gain insight into the functions of the United Nations system by actively participating in debates, caucusing and critical resolution of global conflicts and contemporary issues.
The eight student ambassadors who represented KCKCC were Margaret Lewis, Benjamin Miller, Sharita Hayward, Ohe Oviawe, Marisol Salinas, Auriana McConnell, Ryan Sang and Dominique Fouse. The UC Berkeley conference is considered unique because the Model United Nations was founded in San Francisco in 1945.
“The simulation was fabulous,” Lewis said. “We formed blocs and caucused. It was a great learning experience.”
The KCKCC delegation represented the Republics of China, Nigeria, Croatia, Haiti and Laos in six U.N. committees:
• Dominique Fouse – “Paper Tigers: The Asia Financial Crisis of 1997.”
• Ryan Sang – “May Days: The Hong Kong Riots of 1967.”
• Auriana McConnell – “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization”
• Marisol Salinas, Sharita Hayward and Ohe Oviawe – “DISEC: The First Committee of the UN”
• Benjamin Miller and Maggie Lewis – Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Unoke participated in the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya among others.
“San Francisco enjoys the reputation as the birthplace of the United Nations. Therefore, in further promoting the KCKCC legacy of excellence, it is our responsibility as forward-looking faculty to expose our students to the centers of academic excellence nationally and globally,” Unoke said.
The KCKCC Model United Nations is organized by the KCKCC-Henry Louis Center for Global Transitional Justice and co-sponsored by the Ralph Bunche Society and the Students for Global Peace.