By Eva Andrews
Salem College’s Model United Nations has attended Model United Nations conferences for roughly thirty years. Each college that attends the conference acts as a delegate of different countries. This year, Salem students represented delegates of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) over spring break. About 14 students, including Head Delegate Shannon Salzman and Assistant Head Delegate Utang Enyenihi attended the conference. After extensive research, students split off in pairs acting within committees and to discuss international topics. Students from other colleges represented other countries and together the delegates from every college and university hashed out a resolution for each topic presented.
Hotel expenses for the trip are covered by Salem College. The expenses left over are the delegate fee, travel, and personal needs. The delegate fee was about $135, and the plane tickets could range from $150-300 depending on the time it was bought. The total cost of the trip could be roughly $400-500 depending on how you spend your money. The Model UN delegates spend five nights in a hotel in the middle of Times Square. 
It’s an educational and impactful experience that Salzman, a veteran Model UN delegate, believes will benefit any participant. There are no prerequisites for the Model UN class or club trips. Enyenihi says that “the team really varies; there are some people who have done the conference…and there’s some people who have never done Model UN before at all. So there’s really a mix of experience.” The idea is to get in where you fit regardless of experience level.
Salzman describes the Model UN experience as “kind of a boy’s club.”The “boys” do not expect women to dominate these conferences and well-articulate the points needed to be made. The Salem College Model UN delegate team was the only women’s college in attendance at this event.
The demographics for the conference is disproportionate, so when women show up, the guys are “not really expecting much out of you” says Salzman.
The Salem College Model UN team show the boys “what’s what” says Salzman. Our team seems to be revered at conferences like Model UN conference in NYC.
If you would like to get involved, gain experience, and show up the boys, contact: shannon.salzman@salem.edu. The trip takes place every two years, so the next chance to attend the event is the 2017.-2018 school year.
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