Elizabeth ‘Biz’ Pedersen ’14
Claremont, Calif. (February 22, 2013) — Pitzer College student Elizabeth “Biz” Pedersen ’14 received an honorable mention award during the Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) 2013 conference held February 14-17 in Boston, MA. This is the fifth consecutive year a Pitzer student has been recognized as an outstanding delegate.
Model UN simulates a meeting of the UN General Assembly. At this year’s HNMUN, 18 Pitzer students represented Poland on 11 committees, including the Historical Security Council and the European Human Rights Council. At the Model UN, student-delegates debate current issues, draft resolutions and negotiate with allies and adversaries to explore how international cooperation can resolve global issues.
“Students who attend Model UN acquire substantive knowledge about world politics and the operations of the United Nations,” said Fletcher Jones Associate Professor of Political Studies Geoffrey Herrera, who serves as Pitzer’s Model UN adviser. “But they also gain experience in public speaking; learn how to collaborate and build coalitions with others; and experience how rewarding—and sometimes frustrating—it can be to try to make large organizations, composed of many different factions and interests, work towards a common goal.”
A philosophy and Middle Eastern studies major, Pedersen won the honorable mention award as a delegate on the European Court on Human Rights committee, where participants discussed issues surrounding counter-terrorism laws and potential human rights violations.
This is Pedersen’s third year as a Model UN delegate; in 2011, she was named a Best Delegate at the HNMUN. Her experience with the Model UN has immersed her in both international issues and the international community.
“We discuss ideas and debate issues with people who have traveled from six continents and carry with them immensely varied perspectives,” Pedersen said.
The oldest and largest Model UN conference in the country, the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference draws more than 3,000 university students from more than 40 countries.
