Enter Coltrane Hall 211 and you might think you were sitting in a meeting at the United Nations. This room is the site for Winston-Salem State Model United Nations Club.
The Model U.N. Club was started more than 20 years ago by a group of students with a common interest in the U.N. It teaches students proper U.N. etiquette and helps familiarize them with international customs.
The Club is preparing students for the 22nd Model U.N. Conference in Fayetteville, March 2011.
Several students from HBCU’s will attend the conference including those from N. C. A&T and Bennett College.
One of the advisers for the club, social science professor Guy Martin, is passionate about the club and hopes to have a good turnout of students.
“Students are taught the logistics of the actual Model United Nations Club such as the proper way to speak and address others,” Martin said.
Additionally, a United Nations course will be offered beginning in spring 2011, taught by Martin. Students of all classifications are welcome; however, juniors and seniors are preferred said Martin.
While most of the students in the Model United Nations Club are political science majors, students of all majors are encouraged to participate.
“The United Nations club is a campus wide organization that deals with global issues of all kinds, so therefore all students should take an interest in it because they can actually learn various skills simply by interacting with other students,” said Donald MacThompson, associate professor and coordinator in the Political Science Department.
“Skills include debating, negotiating, bargaining, also general communications.
About 12 students attended the interest meeting Oct. 25, MacThompson said.
“We didn’t experience the turnout that we hoped, but the meeting went well,” MacThompson said.