2013 Spring

Spring 2013 Press Release

Baylor University's MOAS team shines at Washington Model

Fifteen members of Baylor's MOAS team travelled to Washington, D.C. this past week to participate in the Washington Model Organization of American States (WMOAS) hosted by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Institute for Diplomatic Dialogue. Thirty-two teams from the United States, Guatemala, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina debated resolutions in five committees and worked through a crisis scenario that involved potential armed conflict between the United States and Venezuela.

Baylor students also occupied four of the six top officer positions at the model: Senior Drew Vincent (International Studies major, Spanish minor from Mableton, GA) served as President and Chair of the General Committee; Senior Cody Brasher (International Studies major, Spanish minor from Moody, AL) chaired the Second Committee that handled hemispheric security matters; Junior Cristina Mendez (University Scholar, Brownsville, TX) chaired the Third Committee that dealt with development issues; and Senior Diane Draper (History major, Crowley, TX) chaired the Fourth Committee that handled budgetary issues.

Additionally, Head Delegate Will Gregory (Junior, University Scholar, Kerrville, TX) was elected to serve as President for the 2014 WMOAS. Secretary General Jos Insulza addressed the opening session of the model and Baylor students also met with First Secretary Joy-Dee Davis Lake of the Antigua and Barbuda Mission to the OAS for a briefing on the country that Baylor represented. The First Secretary also vetted Baylor's resolutions and judged them to be well done and informed the team that she intended to present ideas that Baylor students Nicole McQuiston (Senior, History major, San Antonio, Texas) who developed a plan concerning use of Cloud backups for civil registry data and Co-Head Delegate Joan Stanton (Sophomore, Political Science, French major from Massapequa, NY) who wrote on responses to rising sea levels for small island states.

Other team members included: Co-Head Delegate Sheila Gonzalez (Senior, Latin American Studies major and Anthropology minor from Roma, TX ), Rafael Deliz Aguirre (Senior, Biology major, Laredo, TX), Priscilla Escobedo (Junior, International Studies major, Irving, TX), Brian Ham (Junior, International Studies, O'Fallon, IL), Lauren Lee (Freshman, University Scholars, Olathe, KN), Pia Lawrence (Junior, sophomore, International Business and Finance major, Kennett, MO) and Aaron Fields (Sophomore International Studies, Little Rock, AK). Jillian Anderson (Junior, Journalism major, Houston, TX) served at the Public Information Officer. The team was coached by Dr. Joan E. Supplee, the Ralph L. and Bessie Mae Lynn Professor of History.