NB
Nicholas Bayer
  • Political Science
  • Class of 2016
  • South Windsor, CT

Marist College Student Nicholas Bayer Participates in National Model United Nations Conference

2015 May 14

Nicholas Bayer, of South Windsor, CT participated in the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference in New York City in April 2015. Marist College's team of 15 students represented Liechtenstein, the tiny alpine principality.

In order to participate in the NMUN, students first had to win competitive selection to Political Science 280, the Model United Nations course. Most Marist student delegates were political science majors, but the class is open to students from all majors. The faculty adviser to the team is Assistant Professor of Political Science Dr. Juris Pupcenoks. Prior to the conference, student delegates learned about the United Nations committee system and processes, parliamentary procedures, diplomacy, public speaking, resolution writing, and position paper research. Each student independently researched and prepared to represent Liechtenstein's position on a mock United Nations committee and participated in a joint simulation with students at Vassar College.

The highlight of this experiential learning course was the participation at the NMUN, Conference B. Over 2,500 college and university students participated in this conference, more than half of them from outside the United States. These delegates came prepared to solve three pressing issues relevant to 21 simulated UN committees during the 5-day event.

Marist is an independent comprehensive liberal arts college with an enrollment of 4,800 full-time undergraduate students. Founded in 1929, the College offers 44 major fields of undergraduate study and 12 graduate degree programs. Marist is included in the Princeton Review's 2015 guide to the top colleges and universities in the U.S., The Best 379 Colleges. Marist is also ranked 11th in the northern United States in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges" guide and is listed by Kiplinger's Personal Finance as one of the best values in private colleges and universities.