The Department of Political Science sponsored the 49th Arkansas Model United Nations (AMUN) conference at the University of Central Arkansas on November 21-22, 2014. Some 425 delegates representing 90 countries from 24 high schools in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Oklahoma participated in the conference. Stephanie Gray, a student majoring in International Studies, served as AMUN Secretary-General and Dr. Mark Mullenbach served as Coordinator of the AMUN conference. UCA President Tom Courtway gave the welcoming address to the delegates during the Opening Session in Ida Waldran Auditorium on Friday, November 21st.
Jose Guzzardi (pictured below in the middle) gave the keynote address during the Opening Session. Jose Guzzardi, who served as AMUN Secretary-General for the 41st AMUN conference held in 2006, graduated with a B.A. degree in International Studies from UCA in 2007. He is currently employed as a Sourcing Manager for Wal-Mart (E-Commerce) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Jose Guzzardi earned a Master’s degree from the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock in 2009, and he was previously employed as the Manager of Institutional Relations for Wal-Mart in Brazil from January 2011 to August 2014.
Committee chairs included Juan Mayen (Special Political Committee), Kayla Close (Social & Humanitarian Committee), Jordan Kemp (Economic & Finance Committee), Kate Loyd (Security Council), Breanna Wilbanks (Economic & Social Council), Nora Bouzihay (Model Arab League), and Helena Burrow (Human Rights Council). Dr. Mark Elrod, Visiting Assistant Professor in the UCA Department of Political Science, served as Coordinator of the Model International Court of Justice (MICJ). During the Closing Session on November 22nd, the “Outstanding Delegation” award was presented to the German delegation (Pope John Paul II High School, Hendersonville, TN), and the “Outstanding Delegation Runner-Up” award was presented to the Syrian delegation (Conway High School).
