Dear Delegates,

I am extremely excited to welcome all of you to the Thirty Fourth Session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference. I am also honored to introduce myself as one of your Under Secretary-General of General Assemblies. I was an Assistant Secretary-General for General Assemblies at ILMUNC XXXIII as well as a delegate in General Assemblies when I was a delegate at ILMUNC throughout high school, and I had an amazing experience at conference each year. I’ve learned so much with each experience I’ve had at ILMUNC, from my time as a delegate to working to organize the conference, and I cannot wait to have another amazing experience this year and make ILMUNC XXXIV this best it can possibly be.

Originally from Puerto Rico, I was born in San Juan and moved to Philadelphia a few years later. Since then, I have lived in Chestnut Hill, a small neighborhood on the edge of the city of Philadelphia, and attended Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. I’ve always had an interest in history, government, and international affairs, which led to my involvement in my high school Model UN club. For three years I attended ILMUNC as a delegate, and when I began at Penn I knew that I wanted to continue to be a part of the conference, joining the International Affairs Association. I am undecided about my major, but am interested in studying in the field of International Relations, as well as minoring in Spanish. Outside of being an Under Secretary-General for ILMUNC XXXIV, I enjoy playing tennis, reading, and spending time with friends.

The ILMUNC XXXIV Staff, from its dedicated Secretariat to the hard-working chairs, moderators, and staffers, has been working hard to put together an amazing conference, and I cannot wait to see it all come together in January. I’m excited to see how each and every delegate approaches our intriguing and thought-provoking new General Assembly topics, and I look forward to meeting you all and making ILMUNC XXXIV the best yet!

Best Regards,

Alexandra Fiol-Mahon

Under-Secretary-General, General Assembly
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference

 

Dear Delegates,

I am incredibly excited to welcome all of you to the thirty-fourth session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference. As one of your Under Secretary-Generals for General Assemblies, I have the distinct honor of working to ensure that ILMUNC XXIV is a worthwhile and meaningful experience for each and every one of you. I was a General Assemblies delegate in high school and I even had the privilege to attend ILMUNC, and I can honestly say that the experiences I had and the skills I gained in General Assemblies were truly life changing. It is therefore my sincere wish that all of you have similarly impactful experiences and gain valuable skills in this coming ILMUNC!

Let me give a little background on myself. I am from Woodbridge, Connecticut, a suburb of New Haven. While I have always been passionate about international relations and studying foreign languages and cultures, I actually did not begin Model United Nations until high school. In high school, I competed in many conferences, primarily as a GA delegate, and absolutely loved it. Because of my experiences as a high school delegate, I decided to join ILMUNC as an Assistant Secretary-General last year.

At Penn, I am sophomore in the Huntsman Program in International Studies, a dual degree program between the College of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School, where I am studying international studies, East Asian languages and civilizations, and potentially studying business economics and public policy. Outside of ILMUNC, I am a member of Penn Student Government and I am a player on the Penn Club Water Polo Team. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, skiing, reading, listening to a wide array of music, and watching (and crying over) romantic comedies.

I am beyond excited for the thrilling and thought-provoking General Assembly committee topics this year, and I cannot wait to see you take on these immense and important issues. Delegates in DISEC will…. while delegates in SPECPOL will…. And 2 more committees. I will be checking in on your committees periodically, and I would love to get to meet all of you so please feel free to introduce yourselves. I am always happy to talk about Model UN, Penn, or just life in general.

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Welcome to ILMUNC XXXIV!

Best Regards,

Aiden Reiter

Under-Secretary-General, General Assembly
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference

Dear Delegates,

Firstly, I’d like to personally welcome each and every one of you to the thirty-fourth session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference! I am certain that you will all have an incredibly positive experience over the course of the weekend, and it’s my job to make that happen. As an Under-Secretary General, I will be spending my time at conference overseeing the substantive experience that you’ll be having inside your committee rooms. I’m especially excited to be the ILMUNC USG for ECOSOC committees because these simulations allow you to engage in conversations surrounding social issues that truly impact the lives of people particularly located in developing nations. Some of these topics are near and dear to my heart, so I’m delighted that you’ll have the opportunity to research the subjects, and I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, so if you have any questions about where to get the best crepes or sushi, feel free to ask me while you’re at conference! I went to a small magnet school in the city, so we didn’t have a MUN team to attend conferences like ILMUNC: sad reacts only. But, as an International Relations major here at Penn, the same topics you’ll all be discussing in your committees are incredibly important to me and they are what I hope to continue researching in the future. Outside of ILMUNC and international relations, I like to unwind with a NY Times crossword puzzle, bake butterscotch brownies, and search for the best gifs to use in sassy text messages – all hobbies that clearly make me a qualified and well-rounded Under-Secretary General.

The secretariat working on ILMUNC this year is made up of some people whom I call dear friends that I know have outstanding abilities and talents; essentially, conference is in great hands. Each of us is committed to putting in the work and hours necessary to ensure the most successful ILMUNC in history. Our attitude has always been to focus on you, the delegates who propel their committee discussions to reach complex and well thought-out resolutions. You are the ones bringing the ideas to the table, and it’s our job to make sure you have all the resources you need to do that! I’m confident that you will come up with dynamic solutions to the topics you’re faced with, and I want to make sure you all have an amazing time in the process.

You’ll be seeing me a lot during conference, as I’ll be wandering in and out of your committee rooms to give out rose grams (!!!) and announcements. But, if you have any questions before coming to ILMUNC, whether it’s about conference policy or my experience at Penn, please feel free to reach out! Again, I am so excited to see you all at conference, and if there’s anything you need from me to make your experience an even better one, let me know. See you all very soon!

Best Regards,

Fiona Bardhoshi

Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Council
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference

 

Dear Delegates,

I am so excited and honored to welcome you to the Thirty Fourth session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference. I will be serving as your Under Secretaries General of Specialized Agencies and I know we’ll all have a great time!

First, I’d like to give you some more background on myself. I grew up in The Bronx, New York and attended The Browning School in Midtown Manhattan. I was a member of my school’s Model UN team since 9th grade and attended ILMUNC as a delegate three times. I had a great time at each ILMUNC session I attended, and it was one of the reasons I applied to Penn. At Penn, I’m a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, planning on majoring in International Relations and Cinema Studies. In my free time I like to listen to music, watch Netflix, and hang with friends.

I stated this earlier, but I am very confident that ILMUNC XXXIV will be a great time for all of us. Having attended three conferences in high school and last year’s conference as an Assistant Secretaries General, I can attest to the fact that every year, conference gets better and better. Its been great working with the rest of our Secretariat and some of the closest bonds I’ve developed at Penn have been with these people. I know that all of our hard work combined with your dedication will make this an amazing few days.

I’ll be coming in and out of committee to make sure everything is going well and to get feedback. My favorite part of working at last year’s conference was the chance to meet delegates, so I’m super excited to do that again. Specialized Agencies are smaller committees so hopefully we can get to know each other better. Please feel free to come up to me at any point and introduce yourself. Also feel free to contact me before (or even after) conference with any questions or comments. I’m looking forward to meeting you all!

Best Regards,

Owen Abaatu

Under-Secretary-General, Specialized Agencies
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference

 

Dear Delegates,

I’m thrilled to welcome you to the thirty-fourth session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference! As Under-Secretary-General, my primary goal is to ensure that you have the best substantive experience possible.

I am particularly excited to serve as the USG for Regional Bodies. As delegates in these medium-sized committees, you will have a unique experience participating in a fast-paced, dynamic style of debate with a specific focus on regional issues. The topics you will encounter will be ones you will have to grapple with to find tenable solutions, but I have no doubt the ideas these solutions will encompass will be of the highest caliber!

I grew up in Orange County, California, and was heavily involved with the Model UN program in my high school. During this time, I developed a love for international issues and the serious debates which affect the global community today. Currently, I am a sophomore at Penn, and I plan on majoring in International Relations and Economics with a minor in Hispanic Studies. I’m honored and proud to be part of a conference which fosters an immense amount of creativity, passion, and drive. Outside of ILMUNC, I’m involved in the Academic Affairs branch of the International Affairs Association, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, and PennSID. I also watch a significant amount of Netflix.

As your USG, I will be one of your main points of contact at conference. I will often be popping into committees to do announcements, seek feedback, and meet you all. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any comments, concerns or questions you may have! I’d love to answer them, and help make conference the best experience it can be for you all.

Warm regards,

Megan Phansalkar

Under-Secretary-General, Regional Bodies and Councils
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference

 

Dear Delegates,

It is my honor to welcome you all to this year’s Ivy League Model United Nations Conference and to serve as your Under Secretary General of Crisis Simulations. There is a special place in my heart for crisis committees. There are few circumstances under which it is socially acceptable to completely immerse yourself into the role of another person or to wage a world war and find peace all within half a day. Spanning centuries and the spectrum between fiction and reality, crisis committees push even the best delegate to innovate and take action far outside the box in order to survive the tumultuous environment.

Model UN had a huge impact on my high school career. I joined my high school team as a nervous freshman and instantly fell in love. I served as publicity chair on our model UN board sophomore and junior year, as well as president of the team my senior year. My favorite aspect of being a part of the team, however, was my role in executing our own regional Model UN conference. Working as both a crisis staffer and as Secretary General, I learned how rewarding planning a successful experience for delegates, staffers, and advisors alike can truly be. In high school, my model UN experience was coupled with membership in other global-oriented clubs and non profits. In college, my focus has moved towards healthcare as I pursue a degree in Nursing and Healthcare Management through Wharton and the Nursing School. However, international relations and politics still continue to be major interest areas of mine.

This year, ILMUNC features a number of exceptional crisis committees, some reshaping history, while others seek to transform the future. Use these new realms to learn, not just about the era or the people around you, but about yourself. Test new solutions, try a new cooperative negotiating style, make a powerful speech, or take a stand in the name of global peace. No matter how experienced or inexperienced you may be, crisis committees have a place for you to enjoy yourself and expand your talents.

So whether you are a newbie or a veteran, scared or excited, I hope you recognize throughout the context of our crisis committees all model United Nations has to offer. Whether it be exploring uncharted territories or staging a coup, the days spent at conference will be both stressful and exciting. I can’t wait to be there alongside you in January! Feel free to reach out at any time with questions or comments and I look forward to meeting you all.

Warmly,

Grace Kilpatrick

Under-Secretary-General, Crisis Simulations
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference

 

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Thirty-Third session of the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference and the beautiful city of Philadelphia. I hope you share my excitement for everything ILMUNC’s world-class crisis committees have to offer. Crisis committees offer a very different experience than other forms of debate. As a delegate, I always have enjoyed crisis committees the most. They are fast paced in nature, require a lot of quick and creative thinking, and depend heavily upon the participation of all its members. All of these factors embody the things I love most about Model UN, which is why I am thrilled to be your Under Secretary General of Crisis Simulations for ILUMUNC XXXIV.

I was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey and have pretty much spent my entire life living in that area. I attended the Horace Mann School, where I first got involved with Model UN, from 6th grade onwards. Outside of MUN, I was very involved in athletics in High School. I was a member of the varsity swim and water polo teams, and was selected to be the captain of the water polo team my senior year. I also enjoyed playing spikeball on our school’s main field at all hours of the school day. I am currently studying in a dual-degree program known as VIPER, looking to major in Materials Science and Engineering and Chemistry. I enjoying hanging out with my friends, watching many of Penn’s performing arts groups, and am a huge Game of Thrones Fan.

I am incredibly excited for the amazing selection of crisis committees we have for you this year. From the Board of Directors of a failing company, to the dilemma faced by an environmental catastrophe, to the finances a famous medieval family, you will have the opportunity to debate some of the most interesting and stimulating topics ever presented in a crisis simulation. Our amazing crisis directors, highly trained and experienced staffers, and passionate chairs will guide you through an unbelievable crisis experience full of excitement and high quality debate. I am excited to see how all of you will come together to shape your own unique crisis experience that makes ILMUNC protrude in your mind as one of your favorite conferences ever.

I cannot wait for the amazing few days we will have together debating some of the most interesting topics I’ve ever seen displayed at a conference. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have before or even during conference, whether it be about ILMUNC or UPenn in general. I am always happy to meet new delegates and help them in any way possible. I am excited to see you all this coming January! Welcome to ILMUNC XXXIV!

Best Regards,

Veer Sobti

Under-Secretary-General, Crisis Simulations
The 34th Ivy League Model United Nations Conference