Author: Samuel Butler | Major: Economics and Financial Analytics | Semeser:Fall 2024
Giving a short speech after being selected as one of the twelve Outstanding Delegates at the conference
After more than a semester of preparation, I and ten others on the Model UN team, along with Dr. Stapp and Jason Adams, found ourselves in Quito, Ecuador, a couple of days before the conference in the Galapagos Islands. I was nervous, excited, and in a bit of shock that I was now in South America, south of the Equator. We would remain in Quito a couple of days before spending nearly a week in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on the Galapagos Islands.
I chose to join Model UN – or interview for it in more accurate terms – because of the growth I had heard Dr. Stapp talk about over and over. I have taken 6 of Dr. Stapp’s courses, and by the fourth time hearing about Model UN, I decided I could no longer let the opportunity pass by. Boy, am I fortunate I didn’t. The trip was an enticing capstone to the entire experience, but the research, writing, leadership, and speaking skills I gained grew far beyond my expectations. This experience has profoundly shaped my ability to lead and communicate effectively and confidently – skills that will be invaluable in my post-graduate consulting career and will lay a strong foundation for my aspirations in law school and beyond.
When we reached the Galapagos, Islands, the conference commenced the following day. I represented Spain in a smaller committee, bringing unique opportunities and challenges. On one hand, it allowed me to connect with all the other delegates from around the world. On the other hand, it required me to step out of my comfort zone and give a lot of speeches – far more than I had prepared. Ultimately, it pushed me to be creative and refine my public speaking skills, which turned out to be a key separator for Katherine (the other U of A student in my committee) and I.
Model UN attracts a diverse group of students, who are usually very academically gifted and competitive. Given that it is a competition of how well you can collaborate, two contradictory themes, it requires a creative leadership style through inclusion and empowerment. I learned to be patient, allow others to talk before myself, and gain the dais (the facilitator and judge) and other delegates’ attention by engaging them and going beyond the generic Model UN approach that so many others chose to take.
By the last day of the conference, while I was no doubt exhausted, I had gained significant confidence in conducting myself, writing resolutions to the issues, and giving impactful, thought-provoking speeches. I was no longer concerned with winning awards because I was proud of the effort I had given and the connections I had made. That said, all 4 of the University of Arkansas’s countries won outstanding delegation, and 5 out of the 12 peer-voted “outstanding delegate awards” went to our team, me included. It was a moment of immense pride for the collective success of our team. The accolades represented the preparation and growth we had all experienced. More than the awards, the lessons learned were the most valuable takeaways we walked away with.
Once the conference had concluded, we experienced the best of the Galapagos Islands, from snorkeling at Kicker Rock to seeing the ancient giant tortoises. The people that inhabit San Cristobal Island are kind and joyous. On our community service day, while we cleaned up trash in the highlands, a man who appeared to be a farmer stopped on his moped and gave us all fresh mangos. When we repeatedly offered him money, insisting that we pay him for his kind act, he refused, saying it was a gift for us because we were cleaning up the island.
This journey, from preparation starting in May, to the conference in November, was an experience like no other. The skills and lessons gained are tools I will carry forward with me forever. More than anything, Dr. Stapp, and the rest of the University of Arkansas Model UN team challenged me to grow far beyond anything I could imagine, and I will be forever grateful.