OWU Model UN
Fourteen Ohio Wesleyan Students Attend Virginia Conference, Develop Diplomacy Skills
Name: Anna Haines '26
Hometown: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
High School: Reynoldsburg High School
Majors: Accounting and Communication
Minor: Business
OWU Connection Experience: Attending "&MUN XII," a collegiate-level Model United Nations Conference
Haines and 13 classmates received support from WCSA (OWU's student government) to attend the Model UN event April 11-14 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Organizers said their goal for this 12th annual event was to provide "valuable insight into the inner workings of good, moral, and effective diplomacy."
Also attending the Virginia conference were classmates Radhika Agrawal '27 of Indore, India; Araceli Allo '27 of Mariano Roque Alonso, Paraguay; Nia Barjatya '27 of Indore, India; Giorgi Bediashvili '25 of Tbilisi, Georgia; Chase Ellis '26 of Hilliard, Ohio; Max Fossaceca '27 of Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Jillian Heter '26 of Columbus, Ohio; Ella Holtsberry '27 of Granville, Ohio; Maddie Hoyt '26 of Etna, Ohio; Giovanna Lacarrubba '26 of Asuncion, Paraguay; Allyson Reich '27 of Wadsworth, Ohio; Ian Sander '27 of Pemberville, Ohio; and Maria Thibodeaux '27 of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Why Model UN is Important?
"I have been involved with Model UN in some way since I was 12 years old," says Haines, president of OWU Model UN. "While the collegiate version is very different from what I have attended in the past, I still hold the same passion for it.
"I love meeting people from across the country and being able to debate topics I am passionate about. Without Model UN, I would have never met some of our amazing members or had the chance to work so closely with the vice presidents, Maddie Hoyt and Gabby Gonzalez Duarte."
My Favorite Moment
"I loved meeting back up with the OWU team after we attended our separate committees. Everyone was so excited to talk about what they were debating about. As the trip progressed, I watched members become more passionate about their committees and saw them developing a true passion for Model UN. Our team contains mostly freshmen and sophomores, and I am so excited to watch this passion grow throughout the next few years."
Lessons Learned
"Other than learning how collegiate Model UN conferences operate, I had the chance to practice very important professional skills. Model UN requires a lot of public speaking, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
"We all had to give impromptu speeches and help solve the issues in our committees in a very creative and diplomatic way. As one of my majors is communication, this correlates perfectly since I was practicing my public speaking and writing skills.
"Although the connection is not as obvious, Model UN also builds skills useful in the accounting/business areas such as networking, creating agreements, defending your arguments, and solving problems quickly/efficiently."
My Campus Involvements
"I am on the swim team and a Bishop Ambassador, I'm also in Woltemade Economics and Business Fellows, Accounting and Finance Fellows, Corns Scholars, and Palmer Global Scholars."
I chose to attend OWU because of the opportunities it seemed to offer, and these opportunities have been plentiful so far.
Why I Chose Ohio Wesleyan?
"I chose to attend OWU because of the opportunities it seemed to offer, and these opportunities have been plentiful so far. I felt as though I could make an impact on campus, be involved, and receive a great education, and I was right."
My Plans After Graduation
"After graduation, I plan to get my CPA and eventually go into private accounting. OWU has helped me reach those goals by giving me space to grow personally and professionally – giving me all the tools I need to be successful as soon as I graduate!"