Why did you choose to become involved in Model UN?

“I chose to join Model UN because I’ve always had a passion for studying international relations and collaborating with other people.  With my combined interests in traveling, world policy, and public speaking, I knew that Model UN would be the perfect fit for me.  However, when I went to my first conference, it was quite a scary and thrilling experience.  I was surrounded by so many other people from other schools who were able to stand up and debate real issues from food insecurity to nuclear energy to diseases.  Not only did I learn so much about what I want to do, but also about country policy and how necessary international collaboration is to have a functioning world.”

What was your favorite part of this year’s virtual Princeton Model United Nations Conference? 

“Though this year’s conference did happen to be on Zoom, I have enjoyed many factors of the experience.  I’ve been representing the United States of America in the Organization of American States Committee.  I’ve really learned a lot getting to discuss issues facing the Northern Triangle, which includes Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.  As I did not know a lot about this topic before PMUNC this year, I’ve enjoyed getting to open my eyes to a new horizon of study.  A lot of my fellow committee members know so much about everything from corruption to anti-drug efforts to education and I’ve gained so much just from hearing them talk.  My favorite part has definitely been getting to both listen and participate in many discussions pertaining to these issues.”

How do you hope to use the knowledge you’ve gained from Model UN? 

“The knowledge I’ve been able to gain from Model UN has been very beneficial.  I have learned what it really means to collaborate and keep an open mind when learning about different countries’ positions.  I’ve also learned that in order to get your voice heard you really have to speak up, especially in an environment where so many people have done this before.  As I hope to further study political science in college and pursue international relations as a future career, I know that my skills of public speaking, being able to properly research, and working peacefully with others will be incredibly beneficial.”

The King Street Chronicle thanks senior Ursula Vollmer ’21 for her contributions to “Humans of Sacred Heart.”