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AU Model Diplomacy Students Excel at Midwest Model European Union

Students put diplomacy into practice while earning leadership roles and recognition

Anderson University Model Diplomacy students at the Midwest Model European Union conference

Anderson Ind. —This spring, Anderson University’s Model Diplomacy program sent 19 delegates to the Midwest Model European Union (MMEU) conference at Indiana University Bloomington.

MMEU students assume the roles of national government representatives in mock international institutions.

Working to create mock EU policies, Anderson students represented Italy, Malta, and Sweden.

Each team member served as a minister of a specific council. Councils included Economic and Finance, Justice and Home Affairs, Environment, and Foreign Affairs.

AU delegates also represented various political parties across the European Union as delegates to the European Parliament.

“Across the board, our students represented their states and Anderson University with distinction,” Connor Sutton, associate professor of international relations and national security and chair of the Social Sciences Department, said.

Several AU students were recognized by their peers and elected to leadership positions in their simulations.

Jenny Eisinger ‘26 chaired the European Parliament. And Dante Girolimon ‘26 and Ava Bellaver ‘27 were vice chairs in the European Parliament and in Justice and Home Affairs, respectively.

Additionally, Josiah Enloe ’27 won second place Best Delegate for his performance in the Economic and Financial Affairs Council.

Preparation

Students spend months learning the issues surrounding the topics they cover.

This year, topics included ethical sourcing of frog legs, nuclear proliferation, green energy, small and medium enterprise, tax policy, and transnational criminal organizations.

Before arriving at the Model European Union, they write draft directives on issues relevant to the council they are on and draft mock legislation that they then try to pass.

Students develop transferable skills in leadership, improvised public speaking, research, and teamwork.

Model Diplomacy goes beyond classroom instruction to create an active learning experience in a real-world scenario.

These conferences also allow AU students to meet others from across the country and world who are dedicated to making the world a more peaceful and just place.

Students also learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Representing other nations allows students to step outside their perceptions of the world around them. Rather than thinking like an American, they are challenged to think like someone from Malta, Sweden, Italy, or any other nation they represent.

They have to think about issues not only from one nation’s perspective but also from the perspective of an international institution, in this case, the European Union.

“Every student gets to step out of their shoes and step into the shoes of a foreign diplomat. They really take that challenge seriously. From the moment they arrive at the conference, or even the moment they start prepping for the conference, that's the mindset and perspective we challenge them to have, rather than the perspective of Central Indiana.”

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Connor Sutton

“Every student gets to step out of their shoes and step into the shoes of a foreign diplomat,” Sutton said. “They really take that challenge seriously. From the moment they arrive at the conference, or even the moment they start prepping for the conference, that’s the mindset and perspective we challenge them to have, rather than from the perspective of Central Indiana.”

Unlike at other universities, any AU student is welcome on the Model Diplomacy team, regardless of their major.

This means AU representatives bring a wide set of perspectives to the table.

Additionally, AU recognizes the importance of program funding and does not make students pay to attend conferences. This gives students who may face financial barriers to participation the opportunity to achieve at a high level.

“Our students have demonstrated through their effort at these conferences, as well as the many awards that AU Model Diplomacy students have won, that they can achieve at the same level as any student across the country,” Sutton said.

Anderson University will send delegates to the American Model United Nations conference in Chicago this fall and to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the Michigan Model Arab League conference sponsored by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations this spring.