April 3, 2013 by Tonya Suther, NMSU News Center
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NMSU’s Model United Nations team, joined by their Japanese partners, poses with their 2013 Distinguished Delegation award in the courtyard of the United Nations Building in New York City. They also garnered four individual position paper awards and four outstanding delegate awards. (Photo courtesy of the NMSU Model U.N. Team)
For the seventh year in a row, New Mexico State University’s Model U.N. team recently took top honors at the annual National Model United Nations Conference in New York City. Now the team is being recognized through a three-part special edition of KRWG-TV’s “Newsmakers.” The series, which began airing in March before the team went to New York, will broadcast the final episode three times between April 4-7.
The KRWG-TV “Newsmakers” program is a locally produced news program that highlights people and events in Las Cruces and the surrounding communities. Fred Martino, director of content and anchor of “Newsmakers,” interviewed several members of the team for the three-part series where students shared perspectives about NMSU’s Model U.N. program.
“I have been so impressed with their research and insights,” Martino said. “I also saw them work with their partner students from Japan and that added to their educational experience this year.”
Representing Argentina, NMSU’s Model U.N. team won the 2013 Distinguished Delegation award, a designation that puts them in the top 16 percent of the 250 participating delegations. They also garnered four individual position paper awards and four outstanding delegate awards.
“I think we decided that as a team knowing procedure really well is what helps us in the conference, because if we can show and demonstrate that we understand procedure, that is our best way to shine,” said Lydia Hammond, president of NMSU’s Model U.N. and a government major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The group broke new ground this year by partnering with a group of Japanese students affiliated with Tokyo University. Martino talks with members of the Japanese team in the second segment of the series.
The special episodes will air at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 6, and at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 7. The episodes will also be posted on the KRWG TV/FM website at http://krwg.org/programs/newsmakers.
“I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Model United Nations team this year,” Martino said. “These are amazing students. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to gain international experience.”
