Student Testimonials
"Model UN at Weber State with Dr. Wolfe not only taught me how to be a better thinker and global citizen, but it also gave me the community and confidence I didn't know I was missing. I was lucky enough to be a part of the first Model UN group Dr. Wolfe oversaw her first few years at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. There were only a handful of us at the time but we became a tight-knit group, and my fellow representatives were some of my closest friends throughout college. #Wolfepack
If you have the chance to be a part of this incredible group, don't hesitate, do it! Not only will engaging with global issues through this organization make you a smarter and more capable student, it will, in my opinion, expand your world and make you a better human.
We learned how to communicate more effectively and think past our own personal spheres to the needs of people around the world. I learned how to be a better advocate for the causes I cared about. While I loved attending the annual Far West conference, my favorite memory was representing Ireland at the Washington DC conference we got to go to in 2017. It was my first trip to the Capitol, and I fell in love with the city and the people there, so many of whom dedicate their lives to public service. I live and work in DC now at the United States Agency for International Development under Administrator Samantha Power, one of my professional idols whose work I was first introduced to in Dr. Wolfe's MUN class. I would not be where I am today without Model UN 91¶ÌÊÓƵ and the lessons I learned there. "
Kylie Wilson , 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant, International Economics, Class of 2019
"I ended up falling in love with Model UN and doing it all four years of my undergraduate degree. I loved my classmates, our professor Dr. Stephanie Wolfe, and being able to practice representing assigned countries as part of class and as preparation for the conferences we attended. Each year I was able to do a deep dive into the country’s culture, demographics, legal system, and political composition as well as go through the exercise of trying to think and respond to current events through the lens of a diplomat from that country.
Every year I elected to be part of the team going to the various conferences. During my time on the Model UN team, I represented 91¶ÌÊÓƵ at the Model UN Far West Conference in San Francisco for 4 years. I participated as a delegate with the UN General Assembly, International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Security Council. I represented the nations of Kenya, Russia, Brazil, and Egypt during my time at the Far West Conference. Additionally, I had the opportunity to attend the National Model UN conference in Washington DC, representing Ireland in the International Atomic Energy Agency. Every year was a new experience where I got to meet people from all over the world and form lasting friendships and connections that have stayed with me well past my time at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ.
Model UN, besides just being a wonderful opportunity to have fun, learn about other countries and cultures and travel, helped provide a number of skills / tools to help me in my education and career. Model UN hones your public speaking skills by improving your ability to deliver a polished speech while also allowing you to speak extemporaneously with little preparation about complex issues. It helps you develop strong technical writing skills as you must craft policy documents and resolutions that follow very specific technical compositions. Additionally, it teaches you the skills of diplomacy, negotiation, and the importance of collaboration with a range of stakeholders who have differing agendas and objectives than yours. I am now a city planner, and all of the skills are ones I used every day at my position, and most people in other fields utilize these skills in their jobs as well.
My time on the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN team was my favorite, most impactful part of my undergraduate degree. I loved everything about it, and I hold so many positive memories and experiences participating in conferences as a delegate for various countries. Besides the skills that it helped me develop, it helped me connect with people and build long-term relationships that I carry with me today. There is nothing I would change and if I had the chance to go back and do it again I would in a heartbeat. Making the decision to join the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN team is one of the best things you can do as part of your 91¶ÌÊÓƵ experience."
Taylor Greenwell , 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant, Political Science, Class of 2017
"Model United Nations has been an incredible experience for me. While deciding on my minor, I had the opportunity to take the Model UN class. Although at the beginning I was scared because of the number of assignments and seriousness of the class, once in, I realized how good this class was for me. Model UN is not just a regular class. The skills that I learned in this class not only helped with my education but also have helped in my professional career as well. After taking this class, my communication and public speaking skills are better, and I am more confident in expressing myself in any type of situation.
If I had the opportunity to take this class again, I would take it without a doubt. The knowledge, experience, and people make this class unique among other classes at the university. Additionally, with the opportunity of taking it multiple times, this class is perfect to improve not just your education, but communication, negotiation, writing and public speaking skills as well."
M. Carolina Molina Aguirre, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant, Political Science, Class of 2022
"My outlook on college was that it would be a place for me to quickly get my degree and leave. I didn't want to be involved on campus, but after serving on the Board of Amnesty International as the Public Relations representative, I grew to love International Politics. I signed up for the class, and everything took off from there. I really enjoyed being on the team. It helped me add another great experience to my resume in regards to communication.
Model UN gave me a better understanding of the world and let me experience how committees function. This helped me when I was a Student Senator for the College of Arts and Humanities at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. For me, MUN showed me everything that goes into making the world work together. Many people are afraid of international politics, but it is something that we have to discuss. "
Jamie Lobato , 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant, Organization Communications, Political Science Minor, Class of 2020
"Participating in Model United Nations was one of the highlights of my undergraduate experience. I learned how to quickly prepare information for speeches, which greatly increased my confidence in public speaking and negotiation. As a representative of Brazil for the class, I had a perspective different from the one that I was accustomed to in the United States. The frequent negotiations taught me fascinating and useful interpersonal skills.
From this experience, I better understand perspectives of different cultures and national identities, which helps me in my current job in the International Student and Scholar Center at Weber State. I definitely recommend this course to anyone looking to work with people. "
Shannon Sandau, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant, Spanish, Class of 2021
"I first joined MUN in 2016 because I was interested in learning more about what goes on in the UN. Putting myself in the shoes of those making decisions affecting the world was really appealing. Personally, I also wanted to improve my communication and public speaking skills because English is my third language.
While I was part of the team for two years, I attended three conferences. Two of the conferences were in San Francisco and one conference was in Washington DC. Joining MUN was very informative, enlightening, and above all fun. You get to meet new people, network, and learn more about foreign countries' policies and their stance on differenct issues. Attending Model United Nations really helped my communication and writing skills, and writing the policies and proposal papers helped me academically."
Sam Mouele , 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant
"I have been a part of MUN for the past two years, and I have participated as a diplomat in the 2021 MUN Conference and chaired the 2022 MUN Conference. I have agained skills such as public speaking, team building, and helping peers with resolution writing. This has helped my confidence when speaking at public events, helped me learn to slow down when I speak to gather my thoughts, and helped me be more diplomatic in my speech. I gained new friends in the process. Many of them have repeated the class, so we are able to continue to travel and represent Weber State. Competing and working together has created a bond between my classmates and has given us a greater appreciation for our advisor, which has made this class something that I look forward to. Model UN has become a very important class for me because it allows me to push myself to speak up and research important topics that I would not normally look into. Human rights have become really important to me because of this research, which gives me motivation to do something about it in the future."
Floricela Anguiano , 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant
"The best thing I took away from participating in the Model United Nations team was gaining confidence in my speaking and writing abilities. Previously, I was not confident in my technical writing abilities and had little experience with public speaking. Model United Nations gave me a supportive environment to practice public speaking and writing technical papers. I also found a group of supportive people who also care about international issues. "
Roland Barrett, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant
"Whether or not debates, competitions, or politics are your thing, it doesn't matter! Model UN may still be for you! There is a unique skill set that is developed in this type and style of debate. I have started to polish my very rusty public speaking abilities. You learn to behave with a level of diplomacy and decorum while learning invaluable negotiation skills! These skills are invaluable no matter what career path you plan to chase upon graduation!!
But, honestly, for me? My favorite part is the types of friendships you develop in a class like this! This class is very involved. Model UN is not a sit-and-listen-to-a-lecture type of class. You spend time working with your fellow students while also learning from them. Dr. Wolfe is phenomenal at creating a team that brings everyone together with a real sense of comradery!"
Danielle Husberg , 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Model UN Participant
