Model UN Club composes seven members for their 3-day February ODU conference in Norfolk. The club teaches students how UN conferences operate as they embody diplomats and fill the roles of international delegates to resolve global issues via developed propositions.

“You don’t need to be an expert on foreign policy to be in the club,” said Patricia Laurence, AP European History teacher, and sponsor. “Right now, because it’s a new club, we don’t have students experienced with UN conferences. It gives us a chance to grow together and equal out the playing field.”

Founder and President Claudia Sung as well as Secretary Mitchell Francis primarily run the club. Claudia makes instructional materials to teach procedures and executes simulations of conferences, while Mitchell organizes events and makes advertisements.

“Everyone can have a bit of the experience of attending [a conference] even if they can’t go to one on a college campus,” said Claudia. 

Before the conference, they relieve propositions of grammatical errors and verbosity to increase their success rate on the floor as the date draws closer. 

“We have been editing each other’s papers and expanding upon each other’s ideas to make the best first impression for OL at this simulation,” said Mitchell.