For years, the WKU Model United Nations course members have attended the annual Model U.N. conference in Chicago to compete. This year, however, student members of the class aspire to evolve into an officially recognized student club.

Thus far, the Model U.N. group remained only a class due to scheduling conflicts with its student members.

Model U.N. is a team-based activity that emulates the real-world international policy making of the United Nations. Every team in attendance represents a specific country.

According to student member Taylorsville junior Chase Thomas, this helps to foster an appreciation of how countries around the world cooperate to produce the best policy outcomes possible.

“Model U.N. taught me how the nations of our world interacted, and how they come together to make decisions that help our world go around,” Thomas said.

Of course, in the real world, countries don’t always approve of U.N. proposals. Louisville senior Bailey Mack said that the club also examines this resistance of certain countries to new policies.

“If you’re North Korea, you can’t approach a discussion on water rights the same way that a delegate from Western Europe or the U.S. would,” Mack said.

 Thomas said this examination of both cooperative and uncooperative U.N. members allows for a well-rounded understanding of the globalized nature of politics.

“This opened my perspective on how procedural the U.N. is and how the different views of nations make a difference in resolution making,” Thomas said.

Bowling Green junior Chelsea Cornett said the proposal would take this to the next level by moving it beyond the classroom.

However, the recognition process is lengthy and complex, entailing discussions with multiple departments.

“We’re hoping for fall of next year,” Cornett said.