Gardner-Webb Model United Nations Team Brings Home Record Number of Awards

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—A team from Gardner-Webb University recently competed in the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) conference held in Atlanta, Ga. Participating schools are assigned a country to represent, and at the conference, team members pursue the interests of their country in various committee meetings, such as World Health Organization, International Criminal Police Organization, International Court of Justice and others.

The students on GWU’s team represented the countries of Poland and Lithuania and took home three awards, a record for Gardner-Webb. To prepare for the event, the students researched the issues, wrote papers and met weekly for practice sessions.

Individual award winners were Grace Burgin and Gabriel Hoyle. Partners, Meredith Fletcher and Emmaleigh Efird, also won an award.

The GWU faculty sponsor is Dr. Casey Delehanty, assistant professor of political science.

Team members are:

Karely Chaves-Callejas, of Hickory, N.C.
Emma Bumgarner, of Rock Hill, S.C.
Grace Burgin, of Iron Station, N.C.,
Blake Elizalde, of Matthews, N.C.
Hope Francis, of Forest City, N.C.
Meredith Fletcher, of Leesburg, N.C.
Grace Love, of Shelby, N.C.
Emmaleigh Efird, of Lexington, S.C.
Austin Hughes, of Mooresboro, N.C.
Abby Hamrick, of Benson, N.C.
Bryan Morales-Gonzalez, of Newton, N.C.
Gabriel Hoyle, of Greensboro, N.C.
Olivia Schenck, of Mount Holly, N.C.
Cierra Jennestreet, of Onley, Va.

The students are preparing for the next regional competition, which will be held in Charlotte on March 26-28.