WMHSMUN AT a Glance
WHat is WMHSMUN?
William and Mary High School Model United Nations (WMHSMUN) is a student-run conference hosted by undergraduate students at William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Since its inception 39 years ago, the conference has been continuously recognized as one of the best Model United Nations conferences for high schoolers in the nation by Best Delegate and All-American MUN.
MUN at W&M
WMHSMUN is supported by the International Relations Club at William & Mary, a club of seasoned Model UN veterans and new members alike who are dedicated to Model UN. Many members of the International Relations Club have majors including in William and Mary’s Government or International Relations program, which has been recognized by Foreign Policy Magazine. That said, there are a wide variety of other majors represented throughout the WMHSMUN staff, including majors in STEM, liberal arts, and social sciences.
The International Relations Club organizes three conferences each academic year:
1) WMHSMUN, our high school conference
2) WMIDMUN, our middle school conference
3) &MUN, our college conference.
The International Relations Club also sponsors an award-winning travel team that competes in college-level conferences around the United States and the world.
About WMHSMUN’s Location
Williamsburg, Virginia, creates the perfect environment for a weekend of debate, collaboration, and learning. Just across the street from campus is Colonial Williamsburg, a restored living history museum of the former colonial capital. Williamsburg forms the third leg of America’s Historic Triangle. The other two legs are Jamestown, home of the first permanent English settlement in North America, and Yorktown, the site of the battle that ended the Revolutionary War, both of which are only a short drive away from William and Mary.
William & Mary was founded in 1693 by King William III of Orange and Queen Mary II of England, making it the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. William and Mary is home to the Wren Building, the oldest academic building in the country that is still in use today. William & Mary is known also for its rigorous academics.
The William and Mary Experience
William & Mary prides itself on offering something for everyone- our university, a Public Ivy, has constantly been recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation, value, inclusivity, engagement, research, and more. William & Mary’s motto is “Those who come here, belong here.” As a guest of the W&M community, you can expect that WMHSMUN will welcome your delegation with open arms and provide a premier high school Model United Nations experience.
WMHSMUN Values
Diplomacy
To exemplify diplomacy, delegates must have the utmost respect for their fellow delegates and dais, engage in compromise, and handle committee proceedings with effectiveness and due sensitivity.
Substance
Delegates should understand that the topics at hand are real issues for real people around the world. Not only should delegates be well-researched, but they also must assume their roles faithfully and treat the serious topics with the maturity that they deserve.
Empowerment
Through sharpening debate skills and practicing resolution writing, delegates should treat our conference as an opportunity for growth. Delegates should strive to foster a welcoming and productive environment by listening actively, thinking critically, and responding sensitively.
Land Acknowledgement:
WMHSMUN would like to emphasize the ownership of the land on which our campus operates. William & Mary acknowledges the Indigenous peoples who are the original inhabitants of the lands our campus is on today – the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway), Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Mattaponi, Monacan, Nansemond, Nottoway, Pamunkey, Patawomeck, Upper Mattaponi, and Rappahannock tribes – and pay our respect to their tribal members past and present.