Secretariat

Secretary General
Dara Gleeson

Dear Delegates,

I am thrilled to serve as the Secretary General for Hofstra University's 2020 Model United Nations Conference (HUMUNC)!

It is my second year serving as Secretary General, and I am excited to take on this role again and work to ensure that everyone has an educational and fun experience at HUMUNC. In addition, I currently serve as the President of the Hofstra Model UN Club and am enjoying working with other club members to promote our club and expand upon our activities at Hofstra.

This year at HUMUNC, we will be having four General Assembly committees and two fast-paced crisis committees (a joint historical crisis committee and a future crisis committee). Our committees include a wide variety of topics, ranging from climate refugees, the Zika virus, android civil rights, and planning the actions of historical figures during the American Revolution.

HUMUNC is a conference that is meant for both Model UN beginners and seasoned delegates to collaborate to solve global issues and learn from each other about parliamentary procedure, diplomacy, and respecting fellow delegates. No matter what committee you are assigned to, we hope that you will end the conference with a better understanding of the issues facing our world today and recognize the importance of global cooperation and diplomacy. Due to the international issues that we are facing in the 21st century, it is important for students to understand our world and find ways to improve it through civil discourse.

I have been involved in Model UN since my freshman year of high school and have truly loved being a part of such a wonderful club, both in high school and in college. I believe that Model UN is a great way to learn more about the world, gain public speaking and debating skills, and meet new people. I have had many incredible opportunities through Model UN, including participation in international and collegiate conferences, meeting ambassadors and UN officials, as well as serving as the Secretary-General of my high school's Model UN club. HUMUNC 2020 will be my seventh and final time staffing a MUN conference, and I am looking forward to ending my MUN career on a great note!

My Model UN experiences have led me to aspire to enter a career in the public health field and incorporate my interests in health and medicine with public policy/public affairs. I am a senior majoring in Community Health with minors in Psychology and Civic Engagement. I have utilized my Model UN skills in jobs and internships positions that I have held and believe that these skills will continue to help me in the future.

Over the last few months, the Secretariat (consisting of the committee chairs and crisis committee directors), members of the Hofstra community, and the Undersecretary General and I have been working to prepare for what we hope is an educational and enjoyable time at the 2020 Hofstra Model UN Conference.

I look forward to meeting all of you at the conference and helping to make sure that you all have an educationally enriching and exciting weekend!

With best wishes,
Dara Gleeson
Secretary General
HUMUNC 2020

Undersecretary General
Alexa Osner

Hello Delegates,

My name is Alexa Osner and I am serving as your Undersecretary General for Hofstra’s Model United Nations Conference this year! I am a Junior majoring in Public Policy with minors in History and Women’s Studies. My concentration in Public Policy focuses on women in policy in regard to the systems that hurt or help push policy changes for women domestically.

I am originally from Illinois, but I have found my second home here at Hofstra! I joined Model UN my first semester here and I have been involved ever since. I served as a chair for the SOCHUM committee my freshman year and last year, I had the honor of being Undersecretary General. This year, I am ecstatic to be serving as your Undersecretary General again! Aside from Model UN, I also hold a leadership position in the Student Government Association where I oversee initiatives on campus that help bring about change for students. Being a part of these organizations have helped me develop my public speaking skills and have helped me gain the confidence to speak my mind about issues that are important to me.

I am very excited for you to participate in this year’s conference! This year’s topics will make you think critically about global issue that have been at the forefront of current debates. Critical issues such as climate refugees or how to combat diseases like Zika deserve the attention of the UN in furthering solutions.

I am hopeful that you will bring a level of debate of diplomacy to help each other combat these pressing issues. I can’t wait to see the great work you will do!

Sincerely,
Alexa Osner
Undersecretary General
HUMUNC 2020