Johnson County Community College and Wichita state University Model united Nations combined team Received awards at the National Model United Nations Conference
The Johnson County Community College (JCCC) Model United Nations team is pleased to announce that it won an Outstanding Delegation Award and an Outstanding Position Paper Award for its portrayal of France at the National Model United Nations Conference (NMUN) in New York City, March 18-22, 2007. Twenty two JCCC students, in a combined delegation with nine students from Wichita State University (WSU), competed with other colleges and universities from across North America, Europe and Asia. “This is a team award, and it would not have been possible without the best efforts of every member of the team,” said JCCC student Kaori Wakabayashi, of Eudora, KS. In addition to Miss Wakabayashi, the JCCC team members are: Brandon Bezner (team co-captain) from Overland Park KS, Christine Traner, (team co-captain) from Lawrence KS, John Thompson from Gardner KS, Calvin Baumgarten from Kansas City KS, Mike Fields from Olathe KS, Siu-Onn Chak from Olathe KS, Samantha Poetter from Paola KS, Alex Kahn from Kansas City MO, Betsy McLeod from Overland Park KS, Thomas Waldorf from Overland Park KS, Stephanie Goings from Shawnee KS, Robert Peckham from Lenexa KS, Nick Sanders from Lawrence KS, Brian White from Lenexa KS, Mick Larson from Olathe KS, Christina Hentzen Kansas City MO, Justin Anderson from Kansas City Mo, Rachel Young from Overland Park KS, David Willis from Cleveland MO, and Sofya Galich from Kansas City MO. The Wichita State team members are: Jonathan Dravis, Lizzie Bernhart, Matt Goad, Deronda Aiken, Matt Long, Nadine Sauerwein, Brittany Stiffler, Marcus Hedrick and Brandon Hottman. The team advisors are Dr. Brian Wright of JCCC and Dr. Carolyn Shaw of WSU.
This is the first time that either the JCCC or WSU Model UN team has won an Outstanding Delegation award at NMUN. This NMUN award caps two years of success for JCCC, during which the team has won awards at the last six conferences they have attended. “We are proud that JCCC has become known on the national collegiate Model United Nations circuit as a consistently award-winning team that can compete with prestigious universities from around the world,” said team co-captain Christine Traner. Former JCCC Model UN faculty advisor, George Belzer adds that “this is a wonderful achievement and places JCCC among the very best Model UN programs in the country. It also completes a sweep for the school year with this JCCC team having won similar awards at American Model UN in Chicago and Mid-West Model UN in St. Louis. I am so proud of the team.”
Model United Nations allows students to understand the international issues at the United Nations while building skills in public speaking and diplomacy. More than 1800 students participated in the conference, proposing resolutions and writing reports dealing with world issues. The issues discussed range from the Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources, to Bolstering Regional Macroeconomic Coordination, to Protecting Human Rights in Darfur. The conference helps students to further understand global issues and international relations, in a forum that allows them to discuss global concerns in an atmosphere that is similar to that of the United Nations. Student Stephanie Goings said of the conference, “This experience at NMUN has been an educational and eye-opening experience, allowing the JCCC team to bond together and cooperate to achieve the highest accolades possible.”
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. The Johnson County Community College Model United Nations team received three Outstanding Delegation awards for its portrayal of Greece and Tanzania at the 2007 Midwest Model United Nations Conference Feb. 21-24 in St. Louis.
Sixteen JCCC students competed against other universities and colleges from across North and South America. The JCCC U.N. team is comprised of Justin Anderson, Kansas City, Mo., Brandon Bezner, Overland Park, and Stephanie Goings, Shawnee, KS, captains; and Siu-Onn Chak, Olathe, Mike Fields, Overland Park, Christina Hentzen, Kansas City, Mo., Morgan Honnold, Kansas City, Mo., Alex Khan, Kansas City, Mo., Betsy Mcleod, Lawrence, Belinda Penaloza, Olathe, Samantha Poetter, Paola, Nick Sanders, Lawrence, John Thompson, Overland Park, Kaori Wakabayashi, Eurdora, Tommy Waldorf, Overland Park, Brian White, Overland Park, and team adviser Brian Wright Warrensburg, Mo. Wright is a member of the board of directors of the Midwest Model United Nations Conference. In addition to the Outstanding Delegation awards, the team won two honorable mention awards. Honorable mention awards went to Anderson for his portrayal of Tanzania¹s position on the Economic and Social Council regarding the issues of International Action against Money Laundering & International Cooperation towards Employment and Decent Work for people. The second honorable mention award went to Hentzen for her portrayal of Tanzania¹s position on regarding the issues of the ³International Action towards the Development and Promotion of Sustainable Energy, Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Educational Programs, and Role of Education in Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The Johnson County Community College Model United Nations team received an Outstanding Delegation award for its portrayal of Spain and Portugal Nov. 18-21 at the 2006 American Model United Nations Chicago, IL.
Sixteen JCCC students competed against other university and college students from across North and South America. Representing Spain were Brandon Bezner, vice president, Overland Park; Nicholas Decamp, Merriam; Morgan Honnold, Kansas City, Mo.; Barry Hersh, Lenexa; Robert Peckham, Lenexa; Jon Roby, Overland Park; Christine Traner, vice president, Lawrence; Thomas Waldorf, Overland Park; and Rachel Young, president, Leawood. Representing Portugal were Calvin Baumgarten, Olathe; Estefania Bruzzone, Lenexa; Christina Hentzen, Kansas City, Mo.; J.D. Rowe, Overland Park; David Smith, Lawrence; Katie Taloney, Overland Park; and Kaori Wakabayashi, Eudora.