MSU Students Win Outstanding Award at National Model UN Conference

The university's Model UN team took home the top prize for their representation of Greece.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:38pm

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A grid of brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen prints depicting a Model UN delegate nameplate or gavel, conceptually representing the teamwork, critical thinking, and diplomatic skills of the MSU students who won the Outstanding Delegation Award.The vibrant energy and collaborative spirit of MSU's award-winning Model UN delegation is captured in this bold, pop art-inspired illustration.Wichita Falls Today

A group of students from Midwestern State University (MSU) recently won the Outstanding Delegation Award at a national Model United Nations conference. The team spent months preparing by researching Greece's positions on various international topics and honing their public speaking and negotiation skills. Their hard work paid off as they were recognized as leaders in their committee and the overall competition.

Why it matters

Model UN competitions provide valuable real-world experience for students, allowing them to develop critical thinking, communication, and diplomacy skills that are essential for future careers in international relations, politics, and other fields. MSU's consistent success at these events highlights the strength of the university's program and its ability to cultivate talented students.

The details

According to the team's faculty advisor, Steve Garrison, the criteria for the Outstanding Delegation Award involves three tiers: the students' preparation, their performance in their committee, and their overall leadership in the competition. The MSU team demonstrated their expertise by producing a detailed position paper on Greece's stance on international issues and effectively representing the country's interests during the conference.

  • The Model UN conference took place in April 2026.
  • MSU's Model UN team has won awards for the past 9 consecutive years, with 7 Outstanding Delegation honors.

The players

Steve Garrison

The main advisor for the MSU Model United Nations team.

Taylor Clark

An MSU senior who participated in the Model UN conference and said it helped develop her critical thinking skills.

Myles Thomas

An MSU senior who had to research and consider different viewpoints to prepare for the conference.

Tucker Smith

An MSU senior who valued the opportunity to communicate and work as a team with students from around the world.

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What they’re saying

“It's a yearlong preparation we start at the beginning of the semester; they have to do a whole bunch of research on the country they represent, which this year was Greece. They have to produce what's referred to as a position paper, which represents Greece's position on a specific international topic, and it has to be in line with their country's interest and the way they approach things in an international arena.”

— Steve Garrison, Main advisor for the MSU Model United Nations team

“I very much had to think on my feet a lot of the time, it was very much like I was running around the room, but I also got to use a lot of the skills in like theories and stuff I learned in class, so I think that really helped. Also, being able to talk to people was good.”

— Taylor Clark, MSU senior

“You really have to consider their different viewpoints and viewpoints of the nations they represent as far as how reasonable your resolutions are.”

— Myles Thomas, MSU senior

“It was a great experience for us to go and meet with people from all over the world, and I am a firm believer that you are who you hang around, and we got to hang around some of the brilliant young people that you'll ever meet. So, going through this process of researching Greece's stand on counter terrorism, Dylan and I got to work very closely together, and got to know each other very well.”

— Tucker Smith, MSU senior

What’s next

The MSU Model UN team will continue to build on their success, preparing to represent the university at future national conferences.

The takeaway

MSU's consistent excellence in Model UN competitions demonstrates the university's commitment to providing students with valuable real-world experience in diplomacy, critical thinking, and teamwork - skills that will serve them well in a variety of future careers.