~:[CH10 - Day 154]:~ The Economics of Model UN
I was planning to give the class their essay final on economics, but I thought, for this Model UN Economics class, what is the greatest lesson they should have learned over their years in the program. I think it's a little sad that as more options are opening up during the freshman year, that less and less students are enrolling in MUN. It's understandable as there are many tracks that are appealing. However, I think when most sit down to make their choice, they fail to realize the full benefits a course may have on them. From athletics to the arts to languages and more, the classes sometimes overlooked can be the most beneficial. We do have a great track record of success because we have great students. We've had Edison Scholars, students who ventured to Harvard, MIT, Cal Tech and many, many more, however, the success stories that lie behind these banners are the stories that people fail to see. I decided to make this essay about the economics of themselves. I wanted them to reflect on the value of themselves; their growth, their investments and more. As I read through the responses, I was happy to hear that many reflected on the grown and confidence they gained through the program. I think the biggest misconception about MUN is that it's just for students interested in international relations or politics, whereas, it's a class that will benefit students in almost everything they do going forward. I am always so proud to see these students as the leaders on campus, as those who speak up when injustice exists, as those who go on to accomplish great things, and to those who simply move forward confidently in the direction of where they want to end up. It's a tough class and many can't always handle the rigors of the course, but those who do develop grit and perseverance that is unmatched. These past 15 months were incredibly rough for these seniors and as I said to them in my final letter, I felt for them. However, while many seniors around this country hid behind their "broken" cameras and backtracked, I was proud to see my students not only continue to work, but spend even more time innovating and finding a way to make those most of what was presented to them. We held our first international conference over the course of three sessions with students from North & South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, they hosted our first advanced conference and then hosted two more conferences on top of that. They stepped up and attended conferences in New York and Berkeley while virtually jumping to Canada and Korea as we held our wrap up session at 2am after committee wrapped up. Yes, there were definitely moments where they struggled and faded away from time to time, but in the same moments, they continued to step up and hang on the best they could. As I think back to their freshman year, I see how they have developed and now that I see them as seniors, I am excited to see what they accomplish on the road ahead. No, we are not here trying to produce politicians or foreign policy advisors, rather, our program invests in the students to give them all the resources they need to become whatever it is they strive to become. It helps them learn their value and that with investment, they can truly reap the rewards of their efforts, although it may take some time. It helps them understand that yes, there is a curve maximum efficiency (PPF), but increase your output when you put add more resources through education, time and effort. As we've been saying all year, it's definitely not the senior year they had hoped for, but it's made me even more appreciative of these seniors. As they each looked at their own value, I hope they saw the potential they have and the great things that await them, as I am confident that the possibilities are endless. To my MUN seniors of the class of 2021, thank you and I hope you continue to see all the great things that lie on your road ahead.
