Debate and collaboration encompass many careers. The masses look up to politicians, entrepreneurs and even influencers, whose prowess elevates their stature and legitimacy. So savvy are these leaders of society that many search far and wide to build similar skills. Yet perhaps an answer lies close at home, in their local Model United Nations community.
Model UN (MUN) serves as a global network of conferences and programs, designed to simulate the committees of the real United Nations. Targeting students from all corners of the world, MUN conferences aim to hook prospective delegates with intense and challenging debate, introducing them to a broader community rife with adventure.
The journey of a MUN delegate can begin as early as middle school, where various conferences offer introductory committees and assistance for those in need. Locally, these conferences range from smaller options, such as the middle school-oriented Evergreen MUN (EVERMUN), to the larger events of MUN Northwest.
MUN Northwest is a prominent network of Eastside Washington conferences, occurring throughout the American school year. The network includes Educational MUN (EDUMUN), Pacific MUN (PACMUN), Seattle MUN and King County MUN (KINGMUN).
Like EVERMUN, these conferences are friendly to beginning delegates, as well as high school students who are interested in pursuing a future in debate, joining a popular school club or simply finding a new hobby.
Ostensibly, the selection of committees provided for delegates is varied. The upcoming PACMUN conference in November offers the essential committees typical of the United Nations, such as UNESCO, INTERPOL, and H-UNSC.
Stacked onto this roster are similar sophisticated stages of debate, such as the American Supreme Court (SCOTUS), to the more wacky and creative, like Historical Crisis Committee (HCC), which takes delegates to the ancient Roman battle of Cannae, or LYCEUM, which explores an alternate reality where historic philosophers mingle with one another.
The student experience at high school conferences doesn’t always end as a participating delegate, however. With enough experience, students may apply to staff at conferences. These volunteering positions can range from a flex staffer, scouring the conference for those in need of assistance, to dais members, who create and control the flow of committees, to the secretariat, who lead fellow staffers and oversee the conference itself.
Among the most popular of school clubs, such as Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), MUN Northwest has gained the hearts of Eastside students from many schools.
Rishit Behera, a MUN aficionado from Redmond High School and vice president of its MUN club, is among these people.
“Through Model UN, I got to spend time with friends. I got to debate on issues I actually cared about with other people who cared about them. I got to argue with people and come face-to-face with people I just don’t agree with, and still deal with it nonetheless,” Behera commented to the Watchdog.
Mahima Menon, a junior at Liberty High School, shared a similar sentiment, stating, “Model UN is this pathway that has you keep going and bettering yourself. People start off as timid delegates to confident staffers and then secretariat!”
“Ever since joining MUN in my freshman year, it has been an inseparable part of my life. I’ve really been able to grow my public speaking and leadership skills, and I enjoy meeting new people,” said Aniketh Terala.
Terala’s devotion to Model United Nations recently earned him a position as part of KINGMUN 2026’s secretariat, an impressive achievement in the MUN community.
When entering the college scene, how can one expect to join their own local MUN community?
At Bellevue College, prospective delegates can join the school’s MUN club. In addition to this, they may enroll in a series of MUN-centered classes, divided between an introductory 100-track and an intermediate 200-track. Joining these classes not only incorporates you more into the MUN scene at Bellevue, but also provides students with the lessons and skills they need to thrive in formal debate.
With the step-up to college comes major changes to conference structures as well. While the gist of these events remains largely identical, collegiate MUN conferences provide a selection of committees tailored more closely to the United Nations’ official guidelines on authentic simulations of debate. This would replace the more nuanced topics like PACMUN’s SCOTUS and HCC with realistic options, such as General Assembly and Human Rights Council.
Commitment also takes a major step up in collegiate MUN. The convenience of local, yearlong programs like MUN Northwest is replaced by more sophisticated, impactful and well-established conferences. As a part of the Bellevue College delegation, students can expect to participate in events anywhere from Seattle’s Northwest MUN (yes, NWMUN and MUNNW are different) to the prestigious National Model United Nations in New York (NMUN-NY), the largest MUN conference in the world.
Whether you are seeking the thrill of debate, a chance to unabashedly voice your opinions, meet new people or simply experience a new chapter in your life, Model United Nations is open to all.
If you seek further information on Bellevue College’s MUN program, you can reach out to its club contact, Aizada Gapyrova, or to its advisor, Professor Christina Sciabarra.
