by Madison Dors, Student Public Relations Writer
Cedarville University’s Model United Nations team received the Outstanding Delegation award, the conference’s highest honor, at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York City, the world’s largest international Model UN competition.
Cedarville students represented Jamaica at National Model United Nations in New York City
From March 28 to April 2, the team represented Jamaica in the conference, taking part in immersive diplomatic experiences that included visits to the U.N. Security Council and U.N. General Assembly. Team members also met with ambassadors from the United States and Jamaica and observed a U.N. Security Council session on the ongoing Israel-United States war with Iran.
Abigail German of Nicholasville, Kentucky, and Jacob Zang of London, Ohio served as co-captains, while Donnie Gardiner of Turks and Caicos, and Kayla Sheaffer of Tucson, Arizona, won Outstanding Delegation in their committee, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Model United Nations competition builds diplomacy, negotiation and public speaking skills
Throughout the conference, the team demonstrated strong public speaking, writing and negotiation skills, along with the stamina, patience and likability needed to navigate four long days of debate. Team members worked with representatives from around the world to find mutually beneficial solutions to difficult international problems, learning when to defend non-negotiable priorities and when to make concessions on less essential issues.
“Model United Nations has played a crucial role in my undergraduate career,” said German. “Learning to write resolutions in committee that must represent my member states’ views as well as the views of other member states, whom I may not always agree with, has taught me the power of compromise to meet consensus and strategies for negotiation.”
Cedarville Model UN team reflects Christ-centered leadership in international settings
Dr. Glen Duerr, chair of the history and government department and professor of international studies, noted that the students’ Christlike attitudes distinguish them from other competitors.
“A willingness to show the love of Christ goes a long way in Model United Nations,” said Duerr. “We sought to have gospel conversations but found that simply reaching out and starting a conversation with someone can also lead to success when negotiating key international issues.”
German also reflected on the opportunity to represent Christ in a secular political sphere.
“The United Nations is often viewed by Christians as irredeemably tainted by secularism,” said German. “As a Christian, I am called to be engaged in every sphere of the world for Christ, and the UN serves purposes I can wholeheartedly pursue, such as ending poverty and world hunger. My life’s quest is to bring the light of Christ into political spheres where darkness seems to have suffocated truth, and both Model United Nations and Cedarville as a whole have helped prepare me for this.”
In addition to German, Zang, Gardiner and Sheaffer, students on the team were: Nate Braun of Wakarusa, Indiana; Hugo Cerrato of Olancho, Honduras; Grace Eddy of Littleton, Colorado; Chase Gilbert of Audubon, New Jersey; Roslyn Golyar of Theresa, New York; Reagan Hatfield of West Chester, Ohio; Madison Kennedy of Galloway, Ohio; Emily Moye of White Plains, Maryland; Rhoda Roby of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Eric Spisz of Ellicott City, Maryland.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
