by Shivam Pandya ’24
At some point during your time at St. Ignatius, you’ve probably heard of Model UN or the DiploCats. Model UN is one of the premier clubs on campus, with over 75 members and a track record of excellence and our members winning countless individual and team awards. The club is co-moderated by Mr. Brandon Foster and Mr. Peter Corrigan ‘69. Club members travel to college campuses, engross themselves in real-world debate, and hopefully come home with a Best Delegate gavel.
At competitions, students become delegates acting in the interests of either a county, corporation, or high-powered individual. Every committee, or group of delegates, has a central issue they’re trying to solve. Delegates give short speeches to establish a position on the topic to the rest of the committee before working with other delegates who share similar viewpoints — also known as a bloc — to write a full resolution to the issue; this effort includes explaining how to fund the solution, what the social implications are, what your country’s government thinks about the solution, and more. The delegate who is most active in committee and most invested in creating a good solution wins.
Model UN is arguably the most proficient club in the school for making members better public speakers, collaborators, and decision makers — essential skills. Being comfortable and confident speaking in front of upwards of 50 people is something that many people do not possess, and knowing how to communicate well in this type of setting makes a more attractive candidate to colleges and employers.
Model UN is always open to new members: just walk in to Mr. Foster’s room SC102 on either Mondays or Wednesdays during the Activities Period. The Club addresses the same material on both days, so join Model UN on the most convenient day.
We hope to see you there,
The Secretariat
