Students interested in global issues and international relations can now apply to be a member of the TCU Model United Nations program.

Model UN is a program that simulates the committees and organizations of the United Nations, Eric Cox, director of TCU Model UN, said.

Those accepted into the program will enroll in the UN Institutions and Processes course in the fall and the International Organizations Research course in the spring, Cox said.

Both of these classes fulfill a global awareness and social science credit. International organizations research also carries a writing emphasis credit, according to the university's Model UN website.

After completing both courses, members of the program will travel to New York City in the spring of 2014 for the National Model United Nations-New York Conference, Cox said.

“Each school represents an assigned country at the conference,” Cox said. "And each country then sends representatives to meet within the different committees to discuss topics ranging from security issues to world tourism.” 

Members of the university's Model UN team frequently win awards for participation and writing submissions at the conference, Cox said. 

Paige Peabody, a junior International economics and political science double major, said she joined Model UN fall semester of her sophomore year and is still an active member.

"You learn all about the structure of the UN and focus on different global issues, but you have so much fun doing it," Peabody said. "It's such a rewarding experience to go to the conference in New York and be able to demonstrate everything you've been working on in class for an entire year," she said. 

Ellen Brown, a junior political science major and current member of the university’s Model UN, said the program also provides students with valuable life skills. 

“It really exposes you to situations where you have to think in different ways, to speak well and to be diplomatic,” Brown said. 

Cox said the Model UN program can benefit any student.

“The United Nations itself touches on just about every field that a student at TCU is going to study," Cox said. "So participating in Model UN is highly relevant.”

GPA is a factor when looking at applicants, but Cox said he also looks for students with a genuine curiosity about the world and a willingness to put forward the necessary effort.

The program is open to any university student, regardless of year or major, Cox said. 

The application can be found online and is due Friday, March 8. It requires students to submit a short essay regarding the given prompt and a letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member at the university. 

For further questions, contact Cox at [email protected] or 817-257-5219.