Sergio Lopez and I standing inside of Wartburg Castle

Author: Jackson Walton | Major: Finance, Political Science | Semester: Fall 2023

I could write many blogs on my experience with the University of Arkansas Model United Nations team but will work to mesh everything in to this one. I knew that when committing to this experience during the Spring of 2023, I was in for an exciting, empowering, and challenging feat. However, I never could have correctly expected or anticipated all that I would learn and just how much I would grow because of it. The program and experience abroad taught me many invaluable lessons that will prove to beneficial to me well into my future. Of these skills that I learned, the most important were writing, research, collaboration, and public speaking.

For the sake of this blog, I looked at some of the team’s work and research from the beginning stages of preparation earlier in the Fall semester and compared it to the final copies of the team’s work and I am truly astonished by the growth I can see within myself and the rest of the Arkansas delegation. My ability to critically think, communicate with others about sophisticated and delicate topics, to speak to a room of people, and my ability to lead groups of people have all been bolstered as a result. Not only was I able to develop these skills, but I was able to do it in a challenging setting across the globe. It was a truly life-changing experience.

Germany was such an interesting place and setting for this experience as it is a place rich with relevant history to the United Nations and to the topics discussed at the conference. I made it my mission to fully immerse myself into the German culture and to learn all that I could while there. I tried many different types of food, navigated a foreign transportation system, and worked to remain attentive and open-minded to learning opportunities during excursions with the program. I was able to do so with a sizable language barrier- something I thought would be more of a problem than it was.

Further, while at the conference I was introduced to a host of different individuals from all over the globe. Specifically, I met, collaborated with, and learned from individuals from places like Japan, Ukraine, and Chile. Not only was I in Germany and learning about the powerful and important history and culture there, but I was also surrounded my many individuals from a vast number of backgrounds. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life to watch some of the brightest future diplomats from around the globe with varying experiences work together, concede, and debate some of the most important topics of our time. Bottom of Form

I strongly urge anyone willing to work very hard while learning about the powerful forces of governance around them to take advantage of such a phenomenal opportunity offered at the University of Arkansas. Students from the University of Arkansas are notorious within the program for being some of the brightest and hardest working, this means that the University of Arkansas is a respected force in the world of Model United Nations. As a participant you will be able to represent something special, but it also means that participation requires much work, passion, and dedication. Not only will you get to travel to some of the most fascinating destinations around the globe, but you will leave the program empowered to change the world and eternally fulfilled and grateful. If you are interested, please reach out to Dr. Robert Stapp soon about future opportunities!