Several Missouri State students brought home awards from the Midwest Model United Nations (MMUN) Conference, held Feb. 18-21 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The team garnered three delegation awards and nine individual awards.

Twenty-two students from the university attended. Thirteen were from Dr. Ashley Leinweber’s Model United Nations (PLS 333) class. They were Corrigan Bielefeld, Delilah Boggs, Brooklyn Cortez, Ann Costanzo, Ameliya Gerlt, Kerrigan Hand, Madeline Hardwick, Jennifer Hedges, Sean Lay, Emma Mabary, Traven Madison, Harriet Melton and Christian Wood.

Nine Model UN Club students attended as well. They were Abigail Hardwick, Mehmet Karatas, Sewly Khatun, Keira Monroe, Daphne Pierson, Isabella Reed, Thomas Ryan, George Swayne and Ian Toney. Missouri State and Model UN Club alumna Chloe Mitchell also volunteered as legal staff for the General Assembly 4 committee, Leinweber said.

Leinweber serves as faculty advisor for the club. She is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Philosophy.

Four delegations and six committees

At this year’s conference, the Model UN students represented four delegations: the Central African Republic, Colombia, Indonesia and Slovenia.

The group also worked across six different committees: the General Assembly (GA) Second and Fourth Committees, the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA), United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Security Council South and Security Council North.

Topics ranged from a review of peacekeeping missions to the accessibility of water, Leinweber said. The team worked “diplomatically and diligently with hundreds of students from 28 other universities,” she added.

Early preparation key to success

Before the conference, students prepare for their Model UN roles by researching the country they will represent, Leinweber said. They then write a background report and present it to the class to practice their presentation skills.

Next, the students learn more about the United Nations, the committee to which they have been assigned, and conference themes and topics.

“They conduct research on their country’s foreign policy in those areas and then write a position paper that is submitted to the conference in advance,” Leinweber explained.

The process prepares the students for the conference while sharpening vital career skills.

“Model United Nations helps students experience international relations firsthand, as they are tasked with roleplaying as a diplomat from a foreign country working with others to solve complex global issues,” Leinweber said. “In the process, they learn useful skills in research, writing, diplomacy, leadership and especially public speaking.”

Conference gives Hardwick practical experience

Abigail Hardwick is a graduate student pursuing an accelerated Master’s in International Affairs at Missouri State. Currently, she also serves as vice president of Missouri State’s Model UN club. After she graduates, she hopes to work in non-profit and international organization sectors, focusing on human rights issues.

Hardwick has attended multiple MMUN conferences. For this year’s program, she served as a delegate from the Central African Republic (CAR) in the Third General Assembly. Her job as a delegate was to work with others to resolve multiple issues.

“The CAR has the largest peacekeeping operation in the world” she said. “As such, I was able to become deeply involved in the conversation and the resolutions. I worked with hundreds of delegates from other schools to work towards one common goal.”

“Model UN will aid me enormously in understanding the inner workings of international diplomacy, allowing me to understand other cultures and peoples,” Hardwick continued. “As a hopeful future diplomat, getting to act as a diplomat sets me apart from others who do not see the practical side of diplomacy.”

Passion for international affairs

As a returning participant, Hardwick continues to gain valuable career experience at MMUN conferences.

“This conference is always so much fun,” she said. “International affairs is my passion. I love getting to partake in the larger committees and make my voice known.”

“Since there are so many different people, there are different opinions,” Hardwick added. “Navigating that is tricky but very helpful for the real-life world.”

Consequently, Hardwick believes students of any major, not just those interested in international affairs, would benefit from participating in Model UN.

“These experiences help students in so many ways, from public speaking practice to problem-solving skills and the cultivation of critical skills,” she said. “It is a great way to build up your personal résumé and socialize with other schools and students.”

2026 MMUN Delegation awards

Abigail Hardwick, Keira Monroe, Isabella Reed, Mehmet Karatas & Tom Ryan – Central African Republic, Honorable Mention.

Sean Lay, Traven Madison, Harriet Melton, Madeline Hardwick, Kerrigan Hand, Corrigan Bielefeld and Ann Costanzo – Colombia, Honorable Mention.

George Swayne, Sewly Khatun, Ian Toney and Daphne Pierson – Indonesia, Honorable Mention.

2026 MMUN Committee awards

Sewly Khatun, General Assembly 2 Position Paper Award, Indonesia

Harriet Melton, General Assembly 4 Position Paper Award, Colombia

George Swayne, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Honorable Mention Delegation, Indonesia

Ameliya Gerlt, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Honorable Mention Delegation, Slovenia

Corrigan Bielefeld and Ann Costanzo, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Position Paper Award, Colombia

Emma Mabary, Security Council South Position Paper Award, Slovenia

Christian Wood and Emma Mabary, Security Council Joint Crisis Honorable Mention Delegation, Slovenia

Missouri State attends national Model UN for first time

After the regional competition, eight members of the Model United Nations Executive team, along with Leinweber, attended the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference March 28-April 3 in New York City, New York. Roughly 3,000 students from schools around the world participated in the event.

As a delegation, Missouri State represented Palestine. They participated in the First, Second and Third General Assemblies, as well as the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) committees.

Liliana Deng and Sewly Khatun served in the First General Assembly. Meanwhile, Keira Monroe and George Swayne served in the Second General Assembly, and Abigail Hardwick and Isabella Reed served in the Third. Madeline Hardwick was the UNEA committee representative, and Sean Lay represented the NPT committee.

Farrukh Khan gave the conference opening remarks. Khan is an adviser to the International Peace Institute and a former senior leader at the United Nations for Pakistan. Annalena Baerbock, president of the 80th General Assembly, spoke during closing ceremonies at the United Nations Headquarters General Assembly Hall.

In addition to their delegation duties, the team toured the United Nations headquarters and observed different UN branches at work.

“Incredibly fulfilling” experience

Hardwick described the conference as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” that she and her fellow team members will not soon forget. She noted how, with committees as large as 300-350 members, the delegation quickly learned that listening and compromise are key factors in good leadership.

“NMUN is the largest, oldest, and most prestigious collegiate Model United Nations conference in the world,” Hardwick said. “From cross-cultural immersion to research skills, this conference has been an invaluable experience for the executive team.”

“We will take these lessons and reflect on them,” she added. “They will continue to inspire us and our time as Citizen Bears.”

 

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Photo credits: Ashley Leinweber

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