Union College students win big at national Model United Nations competition

SCHENECTADY, NY (05/06/2011)(readMedia)-- Union College continued its tradition for excellence at the National Model United Nations conference this year, held last month in New York City.

The group was one of 19 schools to receive an Outstanding Delegation Award; they also were given the Outstanding Position Papers honor. The College was one of only 10 schools to receive both honors. A total of 5,000 students from 340 schools nationwide participated in the contest.

Andrew Churchill '11 (Oceanside, N.Y) and Daniel Starkman '12 (Oceanside, N.Y.) took home Outstanding Delegates awards for their individual work in the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe. Brian Scarlett '11 (Lutherville Timonium, Md.) won Top Justice for his work in the International Court of Justice.

"I am extremely proud of what they accomplished in New York City," said Darius Watson, visiting instructor in political science. "I am further impressed that Union in general has been able to establish itself as a top delegation at the conference in such a relatively short period of time."

Other team members include:

Michael Allen '13 (Fort Edward, N.Y.)

Maeghan Buckley '11 (Windham, N.H.)

Saghar Hamidzade '11 (Lynn, Mass.)

Aubree Heydrick '13 (Schenectady, N.Y.)

Kathryn Long '12 (Rockingham, Vt.)

Katharine Manko '12 (Winchester, Mass.)

Andrew McLain '13 (Byfield, Mass.)

Samuel Merlin '11 (Sharon, Mass.)

Conal Molloy '11 (Hawthorne, N.Y.)

Melissa Moskowitz '14 (East Brunswick, N.J.)

Charles Pobee-Mensah '13 (Albany, N.Y.)

Lea Tessitore '12 (Albany, N.Y.)

Caroline Tulp '11 (Acton, Mass.)

Madeline Vale '13 (Framingham, Mass.)

Akash Vasishtha '13 (New Hartford, N.Y.)

Ryan Vineyard '12 (Niskayuna, N.Y.)

Benjamin Wolkon '13 (Sudbury, Mass.)