Model U.N. competition at FGCU challenges tomorrow’s leaders
- Laurie D. Babcock
- Community
- Contributors: James Greco, Photos
6 – minute read
Florida Gulf Coast University continued its long-standing partnership with the Naples Council on World Affairs by hosting the 32nd annual Southwest Florida Model United Nations competition March 3-4. More than 200 high school students from 20 schools across Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota and Orange counties gathered on the FGCU campus to debate global issues, hone their diplomatic skills and compete for scholarships.
FGCU President Aysegul Timur welcomed the participants and more than 100 community volunteers in opening remarks, setting the stage for two days of intense competition and collaboration.
“Education is an investment in human capital, a kind of investment that nobody can take away from you — it never depreciates and it always, always appreciates with experience. What you are doing today is part of that investment in education and skill development. I know it is sometimes very uncomfortable to do these negotiations or debates. That’s OK. You’re developing skills to get out of that comfort zone,” Timur said. “I congratulate you.”
Thousands of students have competed at the conference since 1998, according to Richard Coughlin, political science associate professor at FGCU and the academic coordinator for Southwest Florida Model U.N. In the latter role, he also serves as adviser to the FGCU Model U.N. team, recruits and trains students in parliamentary procedure and as conference chairs, and oversees the drafting of background guides on the main topics considered at the conference.
“We’re proud of what we have accomplished in the partnership between FGCU and the Naples Council on World Affairs over the years,” he said.
Coughlin’s former students often return each year to serve as committee chairs, including Malani Plancher (’23, political science). She is the FGCU Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program project manager in Innovative Education and Partnerships and helps organize the annual regional Model U.N. event.
Like Coughlin, Plancher has a hand in creating background guides, recruiting and training chairs and vice chairs, and providing logistical support during the conference. She also helps recruit and mentor local high school teams. At this year’s conference, she chaired the U.N. Development Programme and oversaw student discussions on the discrimination against Indigenous communities resulting from mass economic development. Other committees debated topics such as the collapse of Haiti’s coalition government and the corporatization of music. Judges evaluated delegates on their research, negotiation and presentation skills.
“Model U.N. offers students a unique opportunity to engage with topics they may not have encountered before and foster critical thinking, diplomacy and a deeper appreciation for cross-cultural relations,” Plancher said. “Model U.N. provides students with the chance to broaden their perspectives by stepping into the roles of international delegates, allowing them to expand their horizons in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment.”
The event’s impact resonates with another of Coughlin’s former students. Susan Soulard (’02, liberal studies) was on the FGCU Model U.N. team, served as chair for several competitions and competed at collegiate Model U.N. competitions. She’s now a teacher and head of the social studies department at Gulf Coast High School in Naples, where she’s served 22 years as the Model U.N. faculty coach. Gulf Coast High School is one of the top-performing teams nationally, and Soulard and co-coach Kristan Welty brought 34 students to the competition at FGCU this year.
“We expect our delegates to learn something new every time they compete — this might be content, but even more important are the skills they learn like how to collaborate and communicate with delegates who represent differing views, effectively delivering a speech to a room of 100-plus delegates or learning the art of diplomacy and dialogue,” Soulard said.
At the closing ceremony in the Cohen ballroom, top-performing students and teams were awarded scholarships for their excellence in diplomacy and debate. The Gulf Coast High School team brought home more than $28,000 in cash scholarships and the Best Overall Delegation award.
“The secret to success is simple — expect the best and compete often,” Soulard said. “We always remind our students that we compete not for the awards but for the opportunity for them to become better people.”
