Baylor Model Organization of American States Team Shines at International Model in Santiago, Chile

Media contact: Joan Supplee, Baylor University history department, (254) 710-6064

Baylor's Model Organization of American States (MOAS) team moved to a new level of excellence this summer with their participation in a Model Organización de Estados Americanos (MOEA) held July 14-17 at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago.

The Baylor team was the only non-native Spanish speaking team and the only team from North America to attend. All 34 member states and one observer state of the Organization of American States (OAS) were represented. Teams came from universities in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. While representing the country of Guatemala, Baylor students prepared a position paper, presented resolutions and debated in Spanish during the model.

In addition to passing resolutions, in four committees on topics of hemispheric security, energy conservation, democratic reform and disaster relief, members of the Baylor team played an important role in crafting the Declaration of Santiago and two other joint resolutions. An OAS expert recognized delegate Cassidy Ford, a junior University Scholar from Phoenix, for the quality of her resolution. Co-head Delegate Ariel Alexander, a junior French major from San Antonio, campaigned for president of the Model and was one of the four finalists for that position.

Guest speakers at model included the Secretary General of the OAS José Miguel Insulza; the Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Alejandro Foxley; and the Chilean Minister of Education Mónica Jimenez. Students were invited to a reception hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Chilean Chancellery as well as a reception hosted by the president of the PUC.

Other members of the team included Juan Carlos Cortez, a senior international studies major from Mt. Pleasant; Pedro Delgado, a senior political science major from San Antonio; Daisy Marchena, a junior international studies major from Houston; Megan McNerney, a junior international studies major from Troy, Ohio; Emmanuelle Muñoz, a co-Head Delegate and a junior neuroscience major from San Antonio; and Seth Reed, a junior political science major from Cassville, Mo.

The team was coached by Dr. Joan E. Supplee, associate professor of history at Baylor, and received support from the modern foreign languages and political science departments, the Honors College, the Center for International Education, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.

For more information, please contact Ariel Alexander at Ariel_Alexander@baylor.edu, Manny Muñoz at Manny_Munoz@baylor.edu, or Supplee at Joan_Supplee@baylor.edu or (254) 230-6064.