Model United Nations students represent at conference in Singapore

Over spring break, 16 Carthage Model United Nations students, accompanied by Professor Jeffrey Roberg, traveled to Singapore to attend the Nanyang Technological University Model United Nations (NTUMUN) conference.

Over 200 delegates from 15 countries were in attendance, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and elsewhere. Carthage College was the only school from the United States in attendance.

Nathan Swensen ’26 (left) and Marion Pognat ’26 (right) representing North Korean leaders in the Joint Cabinet Crisis.Over the course of three days, Carthage students debated and passed resolutions on diverse topics: the Falklands (Malvinas) Islands dispute, sustainable development, the rights of Afghan women and women’s health, energy scarcity and regional security, the reform of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the question of maritime sovereignty and ocean conservation, building resilient agricultural systems against disaster, an Agenda for Peace, and litigation of the U.S. seizure of Iranian assets.

Additionally, two of our students represented North Korean leaders and took part in a future simulation dealing with an evolving Korean DMZ crisis, where they had to deal with internal protests due to economic issues and political frustration, navigate relations with the USSR and China, and try to reunify the Korean Peninsula. Finally, one student took part in a simulation of The Hunger Games.

The following students were members of the Carthage Model UN team:

• Sarah Beck ’27 represented Turkey in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Lorin Bucur ’26 represented the United States of America in the Security Council (UNSC)
• Claire Guenther ’25 represented Canada in the Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOALOS)
• Michael Malyszek ’25 represented the United States of America in the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
• Mackenzie Manke ’27 represented the United States of America in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Nicholas Murray ’26 represented Kenya in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
• Veeti Penttinen ’25 represented the United States of America in the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
• Anika Ann Peterson ’27 represented Finland in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
• Marion Pognat ’26 represented Kim Chang-Bong, North Korea’s Minister of Defense in the Joint Cabinet Crisis (JCC)
• Eleanor Randall ’26 represented the United States of America in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)
• Sarah Smith ’26 represented the United States of America in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)
• Brandon Swensen ’26 represented the Russian Federation in the Futuristic-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (F-SCO)
• Nathan Swensen ’26 represented Kim Il, North Korea’s Vice Premier in the Joint Cabinet Crisis (JCC)
• Emily Van Dixhorn ’26 represented Egypt in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
• Michael Vo ’27 represented the Rebel Faction in the Hunger Games
• Maya Zenner ’26 represented the United States of America in the Security Council (UNSC)

At NTUMUN, three Carthage Model UN students won the following awards:

• Mackenzie Manke ’27, Verbal Commendation for her representation of the United States of America on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Nicholas Murray ’26, Verbal Commendation for his representation of Kenya on the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
• Brandon Swensen ’26, Verbal Commendation for his representation of the Russian Federation on the Futuristic-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (F-SCO)

Congratulations to all of our members for their great work! Please congratulate all of these students for their excellent efforts should you see them. They were a great team!

These students represent 17 majors and minors from across the College, including allied health science, biology, business administration, chemistry, Chinese, criminal justice, data science, economics, finance, graphic design, healthcare administration, history, international political economy, neuroscience, political science, secondary education, and social work.

Model UN helps students to sharpen their “hard” and “soft” skills through research, writing, public speaking (in front of large groups), and diplomacy (by working in smaller groups). In addition to helping students build and refine these skills, they also see an increase in confidence in presenting their views in a potentially stressful environment. Model UN is open to students of all majors.

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Sarah Beck ’27 (left) and Mackenzie Manke ’27 (right)

Lorin Bucur ’26

Claire Guenther ’25

Mackenzie Manke ’27

Nicholas Murray ’26

Veeti Penttinen ’25 (left) and Michael Malyszek ’25 (right)

Anika Ann Peterson ’27

Marion Pognat ’26

Eleanor Randall ’26

Sarah Smith ’26

Brandon Swensen ’26

Nathan Swensen ’26

Emily Van Dixhorn ’26

Michael Vo ’27

Maya Zenner ’26

Sponsoring Department, Office, or Organization:

Model United Nations

For more information, contact:

Jeffrey Roberg: jroberg@carthage.edu