IU Model UN club reflects real world

After meeting at IUBeginnings as freshmen, seniors Jenna Bourdow and Marina Best brought back the Model United Nations student club to IU in 2009.

The previous club fizzled out after members graduated and left IU.

“We started talking about it about a year and a half ago but really got it going as juniors,” Best said. “It’s a student club, but we’re a part of CIBER.”

CIBER is the Center for International Business Education & Research in the Kelley School of Business, but the Model United Nations is for all students.

The club fluctuates at about 15 active members who participate in conferences and fundraising events in the community. Members include political science, international studies and business majors.

Sophomore Paul Cappelli serves as treasurer for the club.

“I was involved with it at my high school, Oak Park and River Forest in Illinois, and loved it,” Cappelli said.

Since being revived, the club has been to two conferences. Its first was in Chicago in November 2009 and was hosted by the American Model United Nations.

Its most recent conference was hosted by the National Model United Nations and was held in Washington D.C. in October 2010.

“You take the role of a country. IU was given Libya and Turkey, and I took Libya,” Cappelli said.

Ranking at the conferences is based on the preparation of resolution papers and public speaking.

“The best skills I’ve learned are public speaking and delegating,” Cappelli said.
Along with public speaking skills, networking plays a huge role in the conferences.

“It’s a huge networking thing,” Best said. “You learn to compromise and work with people.”

Bourdow agreed. “Networking is a big one,” she said. “I’ve met a lot of international students at the conferences and have stayed in contact with some.”

The club applies for funding from IUSA and CIBER and is currently pursuing a corporate sponsor for a possible trip to New York for a more prestigious conference hosted by the American Model United Nations this semester.

“I love it because it’s a unique experience. You go to the conferences and form really strong relationships with people,” Cappelli said.