The Old Dominion University Model United Nations Society is ODU's window on the United Nations and international activism. The Society's mission is promoting global, multicultural education and leadership experience through experiential learning, stressing student participation in simulation conferences and academic courses. We represent the university at model U.N., European Union, Nato and crisis simulation conferences around the country, and by organizing major simulations of our own , including U.N. Day in October and ODUMUNC, held every February. Membership is open to students from all colleges and disciplines at the university.
The Model United Nations Society was established in 1977 by a group of Old Dominion University students who were interested in International Affairs. The main purpose was to promote further understanding of the United Nations, international issues, and the global community. The first faculty advisor of the society was Dr. Jerome B. Bookin-Weiner. In the 1980s and '90s it was expanded through the guidance of Dr. David Hager, Professor of Political Science and later university vice-president, and Dr. Chris Drake, professor of Geography. From 1993 through 2007 the program was supervised by Professor Maria Fornella.
Today the society has a membership of about fifty ODU students, with majors ranging from political science and international studies to chemistry and military science. The society sponsors the annual U.N. Day conference and study trips to New York, and the ODU Model UN Conference (ODUMUNC) for high schools. It represents the university in at least five college conferences annually, including collegiate model U.N., crisis simulation and model Nato meetings.
History
The first ODU Model UN Conference for high schools was held in 1978 at ODU's Webb Center. In attendance were sixty students from regional high schools, supported by a secretariat of three ODU students. In 1984, ODUMUNC was moved to Norfolk's Waterside Sheraton Hotel (then the Omni Waterside), its home ever since. By 1988, the conference was attended by 81 high schools from ten states and more than one-thousand participating student delegates, organized by a secretariat of over fifty ODU students.
The society and its activities grew along with the years through the dedication of its members and countless others. Amongst them is Dr. Jean-Bernard Gazarian, who first participated as a guest speaker in the sixth ODUMUNC in 1983 and has remained since a loyal friend to the society and its members ever since. In recent years Society members have participated in.
Today the Model UN is the largest, most international and most active student organization at ODU. We are proud to have members from every college at ODU, with majors ranging from business, engineering and nursing, even to international studies and political science. Our members represent ODU at an average of six intercollegiate conferences annually. Every October we host the annual UN Day simulation for ODU students and Tidewater universities. Every February we take over the Sheraton Waterside Hotel for four days ODUMUNC.