LC State Students Earn Top Honors at West Coast Model EU Competition

Two juniors bring home awards representing Austria at the annual event.

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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Two Lewis-Clark State College students, Tristan Hoffmann and Elleona Roberts Richmond, received recognition for their roles representing Austria at the annual West Coast Model European Union competition held at the University of Washington in Seattle. Hoffmann earned an Outstanding Paper Award for his position as Austrian chancellor, while Richmond received an Honorable Mention Award for her role as Austrian minister of the economy.

Why it matters

The Model EU competition provides valuable hands-on experience for students interested in international politics and diplomacy, allowing them to simulate real-world policy discussions and negotiations. LC State's strong performance at the event highlights the strength of its political science and international studies programs, as well as the caliber of its students.

The details

The Model EU event tasks students with taking on roles as heads of government, ministers, and representatives of EU institutions to tackle relevant policy issues. This year's agenda included topics like military procurement alignment, accelerated accession for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, arctic rare earth resource access, and enhanced regulation of large digital platforms. LC State was one of the smallest schools participating, competing against teams from larger universities like Brigham Young, the Claremont Colleges, and the University of Washington.

  • The West Coast Model EU competition was held on March 6-7, 2026 in Seattle, Washington.
  • LC State has participated in the event since 2013, earning a total of nine awards over the years.

The players

Tristan Hoffmann

A junior at Lewis-Clark State College studying history with minors in Spanish and communications. He earned an Outstanding Paper Award for his role as Austrian chancellor at the Model EU competition.

Elleona Roberts Richmond

A junior at Lewis-Clark State College studying social sciences with an emphasis in political science and a minor in Spanish. She received an Honorable Mention Award for her role as Austrian minister of the economy at the Model EU competition.

Lewis-Clark State College

A public college located in Lewiston, Idaho that has participated in the West Coast Model EU competition since 2013, earning a total of nine awards over the years.

University of Washington

The host institution for the 2026 West Coast Model EU competition, which included teams from several other universities and colleges.

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What’s next

LC State plans to continue sending a team of two students to the annual West Coast Model EU competition, with the goal of maintaining its strong performance and bringing home more awards in the coming years.

The takeaway

LC State's success at the Model EU competition demonstrates the strength of its political science and international studies programs, as well as the caliber of its students. The event provides a unique opportunity for students to gain practical experience in international diplomacy and policymaking, which can be invaluable for their future careers.