Converse Wins at National Model NATO…Again!

For the Converse Model NATO program, it was another national conference resulting in another string of awards. Against 26 competing delegations at Model NATO in Washington, DC, both Converse delegations earned impressive distinctions; the United Kingdom delegation won Outstanding Delegation and the Poland delegation received Honorable Mention.

Other colleges and universities represented included Université Laval (Québec), University of Texas at El Paso, Virginia Tech, Georgetown University, Canadian Royal Military Academy, Howard University,  Edinboro University and the University of British Columbia.

The Model NATO Conference is a simulation of the proceedings of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, augmented by pre-conference study and embassy briefings. Each participating institution represents a member state of NATO in the areas of nuclear planning, defense planning and political-military relations.

The team of Yosi Weldemedhin (Ethiopia), assisted by Katie Hudson,(Pickens, South Carolina) was selected as the single best representative in the North Atlantic Council. Katie Moore (Moore, South Carolina), assisted by Paige Hunter (Stone Mountain, Georgia), won the same distinction in the Nuclear Planning Group.  Katie was also the recipient of the committee leadership award in that committee.

Baye Williamson (Kingsport, Tennessee) won the leadership award in the Defense Planning Committee.
 
For the third year, Converse provided the Secretariat including all committee chairs.  Sarah Walters (Midlothian, Virginia) served as Secretary General and Megan Madison (Chester, Virginia) as Asst. Secretary General.  Jodi Hylton (Houston, Texas) was selected by the faculty as the Best Chair.
 
Converse was asked to provide the Secretariat again next year and Megan Madison (Chester, Virginia) will serve as Secretary General.

Converse was also asked to become a sponsoring institution of Model NATO, joining  Howard University, the Kent State University Center of NATO Studies and the National Defense University.

Converse began fielding Model NATO delegations in 2005 when it was collectively named Outstanding Delegation, the conference’s top honor. “These young women continue to bring recognition, honor, and distinction to Converse.  For me personally, the esteem with which Converse is held nationally, exalted might be more accurate, is so gratifying,” said Dr. Joe Dunn, faculty advisor for the Converse delegations. "The Converse delegation is so dominant that they have to deal with a great deal of jealously from delegations that simply do not work as hard as they do.  This is not a pleasant condition for these young women, but it is an important lesson for life to learn to deal and overcome this kind of adversity."