From April 5–10, Irvine Valley College’s Model United Nations team competed at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York, earning top recognition among participating institutions. The team received an Outstanding Delegation award—granted to just 5% of schools—along with four Position Paper Awards, two Outstanding Delegate honors, and a Committee Chair selection. IVC was one of only two community colleges to earn Outstanding Delegation distinction and tied for the most position paper awards among all delegations.
The 16-student team represented Azerbaijan across eight committees, addressing global issues such as establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East; financing for climate and biodiversity initiatives; strengthening international cooperation in counterterrorism; advancing evidence-based policymaking for a pollution-free planet; and promoting sustainable housing and settlement for refugees, among others. In addition to the competition, students attended closing ceremonies in the United Nations General Assembly Hall. The team will host a Global Policy Forum for the campus community later this year.
Model United Nations builds workforce-ready skills, including leadership, public speaking, and problem-solving, while preparing students to engage with complex global challenges. For more information, contact Professor Shirin Sahani.
IVC MUN Delegation:
Jackson Beudjekian
Ellise Chu
Malia Dacillo
Ninja Friberg
Matthew Gumbrecht
Chanali Henagama
Kiyavash Khaghani
Brenton Lively
Hayden Lively
Talgat Mussabayev
Anh Nguyen
Matthew Nguyen
Katherine Popper
Scott Quayle
Francis Samson
Arina Taghi Damavandi