Milligan’s Model United Nations team won 12 awards, including four team honors, at the Southern Regional Model United Nations conference held March 19-21 in Charlotte, North Carolina, securing Milligan’s best result at the competition ever.
Seventeen students attended the conference, with 10 representing China and seven representing Romania.
The China delegation received outstanding position paper, the highest position paper award given, and outstanding delegation, the top delegation award presented to only five teams. The Romania delegation earned best position paper, the second-highest position paper award, and distinguished delegation, the second-highest delegation award.
Students also earned several individual honors.
Sophomores Elise Halkos and Emily Haas, representing China in the General Assembly Plenary, won best position paper with a score of 100 out of 100. Their topics included protecting the rights and safety of journalists and reducing the environmental impact of electronic waste.
On the Human Rights Council, Senior Casey Wiggins and junior Cole Fox, representing China, and juniors Sabrina Espelet and Bailey McCoy, representing Romania, addressed protecting human rights during large-scale protests and safeguarding rights in long-term conflict zones. Wiggins and Fox won best position paper with a score of 100 and best delegate. Espelet and McCoy also won best delegate.
Abby Pauls, a sophomore political science and history major from Hamilton, Ontario, represented China on the Security Council as a single delegate. She addressed combating terrorism and maritime piracy, as well as finding nonviolent solutions to conflicts in Southwest Asia and North Africa. The council also conducted a crisis simulation involving rogue Nigerian pirates in the Gulf of Guinea. Pauls won best position paper with a score of 100 and best delegate.
“Model UN has been one of the most fun while still professionally relevant experiences I’ve had at Milligan,” Pauls said. “Getting to work hard as a group for our achievements is so rewarding, and I love the team dynamic.”
Pauls said the experience helped her develop public speaking, collaboration and leadership skills, adding that the program is open to students from all majors.
“It’s not just for political science students,” she said. “If you’re not sure if you should do it, you definitely should. It’s low pressure and high reward.”
Milligan students also participate in the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature, a similar program offered as a one-credit course that meets on Fridays.
Looking ahead, the team plans to expand its presence in the region by helping local high schools establish Model United Nations programs, continuing to grow both participation and opportunities for future delegates.
Photo: All seventeen Milligan students pose on March 21, 2026, at the SRMUN conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Provided by Abby Pauls)
