Q&A with the Undersecretary General for the General Assemblies

Jordan Phillips

Undersecretary General for the Specialized Agencies

Jordan: How did your Model United Nations journey begin?
Chris: After a successful first year and only year of MUN in high school. Mitchell Dennis asked me to join the MeDMUN staff during its inaugural conference. I started as a moderator during the first two years and then ran for Undersecretary General my third year.
Jordan: What is your most memorable Model UN moment?
Chris: Considering I only did MUN for one year, the most memorable moment was the MAMUN conference. It was at this time that everything finally clicked for me and the conference went much better than I could’ve ever expected it to.
Jordan: What is the best part about being an Undersecretary General for MeDMUN?
Chris: The conference without a doubt. It’s the moment when of all your work culminates from the past year. As an Undersecretary General, the day is a whirlwind of events, but seeing the final product makes it all worth it.
Jordan: What is the most challenging part of it?
Chris: I would say the time management aspect. Working as a USG can be time consuming at certain points throughout the year; especially with classes, work, and other extra curricular activities. However, Mitchell, our Secretary General makes sure to provide adequate amounts of time to complete tasks.
Jordan: What inspired you to take on the role of charity coordinator for MeDMUN?
Chris: Honestly, it was just something that Mitch and I both felt was important to improving the conference and engaging the delegates with the community at a more tangible level. I was excited that we had the opportunity to give back to the community and provide delegates the chance to take what they did in their committees and apply it to the metro Detroit area.
Jordan: In your opinion, what skills does partaking in Model UN teach students?
Chris: It really teaches individuals how to debate in a diplomatic manner and requires students to gain a world view as they represent their country. Students have to understand both sides of the topic and what solutions may appeal to the majority. All the while, delegates will obtain global perspectives that they would not come across otherwise.
Jordan: Why is Model UN important to you?
Chris: MUN is important to me because it taught me how to be confident when speaking in front of large groups.
Jordan: Do you have any advice for students looking to get involved in Model UN?
Chris: If your friends told you to jump off a bridge, should you do it? No (well, that depends on how high up it and what’s below). If your friends tell you to join MUN, should you do it? Yes! Because it is a great experience that prepares you for college, looks good on a resume, builds countless skills, and is so much fun that you will wish you joined a year earlier.