Texas State Model Arab League reaps honors at national meet

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
April 4, 2014

Five Texas State University students earned individual honors while the Bobcat delegation earned a commendation during the National University Model Arab League, held March 28-30 in Washington, D.C.

This marked the first time the Texas State Model Arab League delegation had advanced to the national competition, sponsored by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.

For this year's competition, Texas State students represented Kuwait. Ayhab Farhat of Texas State, paired with Hanaa Barakat of the University of Texas at Arlington, received an "Outstanding Delegation" award for their representation of Kuwait on the Council on Palestinian Affairs. Texas State graduate student Matt Korn also received an "Outstanding Delegate" award for his representation of the Emir of Kuwait on the Heads of State Council.

Ashley Jones of Texas State, paired with Ruba Ahmad of the University of Texas at Arlington, received an Honorable Mention for their representation of Kuwait on the Human Rights Council, and Bobcats Garret Honea and Daniel Burrow also earned an Honorable Mention for their work on the Joint Defense Council. The entire Texas State delegation received a Special Commendation award.

Hosted by Georgetown University, 24 universities were represented, including George Mason University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, the American University in Cairo, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, the University of Houston Honors College and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

The 17-member Texas State delegation's participation in the Model Arab League was supported by the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations; Rebecca Raphael, associate professor of philosophy; Nancy Grayson, associate dean of liberal arts for student academic affairs; Student Government; Center for International Studies; Center for Multicultural and Gender Studies; College of Liberal Arts; Department of Anthropology; Department of History; Department of Philosophy; Department of Political Science; Department of Psychology; and the Department of Sociology.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Bishop at eb26@txstate.edu.