MUN, short for Model United Nations, is an educational simulation conference where students role-play as delegates representing countries in the United Nations (UN). Together, the delegates find a solution to a profound problem affecting our world today, such as poverty or food insecurity. 

This year marks the first year in which Mater Dei has a Varsity MUN team. This advanced Model United Nations club attends highly competitive conferences and demands a deeper understanding of political issues and greater expertise in diplomacy. On Nov. 9, the team participated in the BruinMUN at the University of California, Los Angeles. This was the first time the team attended this annual high school MUN conference. But, it will definitely not be the last.

To prepare for this event, the Varsity team dedicated many hours of practice and hard work since the start of this school year. Sophomore Amirah Mohammad was assigned to the country of Honduras, with the issues of the deportation of workers and the healthcare for indigenous people. Mohammad explains both the ease and struggles of the assignment.

“Some of the aspects of the assignment were easy to tackle because we had a lot of research,” Mohammad said. “But because these problems happen a lot of times in underdeveloped countries, there’s not so much information about what happened.”

Sophomore Xavier Cruz also participated in the UCLA conference. He joined the Varsity MUN team after being in the MUN class since his freshman year. The BruinMUN conference has been described as difficult to prepare for, especially as it is an advanced one. But the team takes this as an opportunity to improve and expand their MUN skills. Cruz acknowledges that the events can be difficult. 

“It was very nerve-wracking yet welcoming at the same time,” Cruz said. “This year’s performance was definitely a challenge from my last few years, but it wasn’t impossible, and I was able to get through it.”

To efficiently prepare for the UCLA conference, Varsity MUN Head Coach and Social Studies Department Chair Ben Van Dyk led the team with determination. Even though this is his first time coaching an MUN team, Van Dyk has always admired the Model United Nations program, mostly from chaperoning on some of the annual international MUN trips. To set the team up for success, Van Dyk focuses on gearing up his delegates with weekly practice, alongside giving them time to take extra preparation at home.

“So we had practice weekly,” Van Dyk said. “They prepared sometimes on their own, at home. But then we did have weekly practices for an hour or so in preparation for this.”

Van Dyk has a mission for the Varsity MUN team and makes sure the students are prepared for the conference so they can put all their effort into winning while also having fun. He wants to create an atmosphere that is comfortable for the team to compete in, but also challenging. He explicates the objectives for the team for the conference.

“The goal was that when we showed up, students would feel prepared and ready to go to larger conferences, [which] they’re not necessarily used to, against competition that is very well prepared,” Van Dyk said. “The students did meet that challenge, and we did have students win some awards.”

All in all, the Varsity MUN team diligently prepared for the UCLA conference by attending practices and also conscientiously using their free time at home to study on their own. These methods have proven their impact, as the team returned home with many accomplishments and awards that further demonstrate their nonstop dedication and commitment.