In the fall of 2022, several of our PSIA students participated in the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) conference in Atlanta, Ga. Unlike years past, the 2022 SRMUN Atlanta conference did not have an overarching theme, but rather addressed multiple pressing issues that countries around the world are facing today.  

The SRMUN conference included approximately 350 student delegates from 35 colleges and universities primarily from the Southeast US. These student delegates represented more than 45 of the world’s countries. The UNG delegation consisted of twelve members from the Model United Nations (POLS 3505) course taught by Dr. Miner (Dahlonega) and another eight members from the Model United Nations (POLS 3505) course taught by Dr. Chand (Gainsville). We represented three countries at the Conference: Russia (Dr. Miner’s DAH class), Serbia (Dr. Miner’s DAH class), and the Gambia (Dr. Chand’s GVL class).  

As a student who participated in the 2022 SRMUN Atlanta conference, I can attest to the great learning opportunity that this conference provides. The conference, while it may seem daunting in the beginning, is a very cool experience that teaches you how to speak, write, and communicate diplomatically. I would recommend the course and the club for anyone who would like to experience a conference like this. 

Along with the unique and rich experience of the SRMUN conference, UNG students came home with multiple awards: 

  • Conference-wide award for outstanding position paper: Serbian delegation 
  • General Assembly Plenary committee level award for outstanding position paper: Anna Møller and Orla Fennell (Serbia) 
  • Human Rights Council committee level award for best delegate: Patrick Charles and Neva Garett (Russia) 
  • Conference-wide award for outstanding position paper: The Gambian delegation 
  • Commission on Science & Technology for Development (CSTD) committee level award for best delegate: Emma Thompson and Jessica Case (The Gambia) 

Fall 2022 Teams:  

 

Serbia (DAH) (L-R) -Anna Møller, Orla Fennell, Avery Johnson, Mohini Devadath 
                          Russia (DAH) (L-R) – Jacob Tighe, Neva Garett, Dr. Miner, Christopher Hood, Odahia Carrasco, Carlee Blankenship, Santiago Lassere, Patrick Charles [not pictured: Wells Benjamin] 
                                        The Gambia (GVL) (L-R) – Dr. Chand, Quoc (Jack) Pham, Jack Bevlin, Emma Thompson, Nathan Whatley, Jessica Case, Dawson Malecki, Justin Olsen, Nathanael Hines 

Congratulations to the Serbian, Russian and Gambian delegations on their excellent work at the fall 2022 SRMUN Conference! 

[author: Orla Fennell, IA ’23]