The Model Organization of American States (MOAS) is an organization that focuses on enhancing the leadership qualities of students. In MOAS, students study the economic, political, and security issues facing the Americas today. The organization is designed around participation in the Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States (ESMOAS) competition held November. In the ESMOAS competition, students represent a country in a mock session of the international institution, the Organization of American States, an organization comprised of Western Hemispheric nations.
In these competitions, students are expected to represent their assigned nation’s interests and display diplomatic proficiency. In doing so, using parliamentary procedure, students argue for and against resolutions that are developed by student competitors in mock OAS sessions. Thus, to do well, students must learn International Relations theory, the politics of the Western Hemisphere (especially that of Latin America), effective diplomatic techniques, and parliamentary procedure. Participants will also become comfortable with public speaking, and conduct research on the topics presented at the competitions.
