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All the World’s a Stage
CHESTERTOWN, MD—Washington College students got a taste of diplomacy over Fall Break
when the International Studies Council sent a delegation to participate in a Model
United Nations Security Council Simulation at Yale University. Washington College
was the only small liberal arts college at the conference to earn awards, with Ashley
Carol-Fingerhut ’14 and Eli Banghart ’14 receiving Outstanding Delegate and Honorable
Mention, respectively, in their committees.
The Security Council Simulation at Yale (SCSY) is the premiere crisis-based Model United Nations conference on the college circuit, recognized for its innovative take on major historical, fantastical, and current events. Themed committees, ranging from the traditional UN Security Council to the fictional Game of Thrones, are assigned a series of topics to discuss. Students play specific roles in the simulation and, using parliamentary procedure, collaborate with other delegates to draft resolutions and reach solutions to the issues.
Ashley Carol Fingerhut brought home an Outstanding Delegate award and Eli Banghart
an Honorable Mention for their performances in the Model UN simulation at Yale. Carol-Fingerhut participated in the California Gold Rush, a simulation of individuals
with hidden interests in the marijuana trade in California. “I love Model UN in general
because it teaches you to think on your feet and develops analytical skills that I
know I’ll need after graduation,” she said of the experience. “Winning an award is
just a very happy bonus.”
Banghart reflected on the difficulty of staying in character in his Hunger Games committee: “I have an intense personality and I acted extremely calm all weekend, so it really was amazing to embrace another personality entirely.”
ISC Faculty Advisor Tahir Shad, associate professor of political science and international studies, says that he has been organizing Washington College’s Model UN program for almost 25 years, and this was one of the best teams he has taken to Yale. “Our students are competitive with Ivy League students and can stand on their own when it comes to intense competition,” he said, praising Carol-Fingerhut and Banghart as “exceptional in their performances.”
In March 2014, the Washington College International Studies Council will send a student delegation to Harvard University’s World Model United Nations in Brussels, Belgium.