Mercer Students Represent University at Fourth Annual American Model World Health Organization Conference

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Pictured above, from left, are Bansari Patel, Sophie Leveille, Maggie Kowalchuk, Miranda Stephen, Ashila Jiwani, Moriah Roycroft, Lane Benton, Kaitlyn Koontz, Daniel Crum, Samuel Dunklin, David Stokes and Alex Grandinetti. (Photo by Charlie Harless)

MACON – A delegation of 12 students represented Mercer University at the fourth annual American Model World Health Organization (AMWHO) conference, held Oct. 13-15 at Emory University.

Daniel Crum, a junior international affairs major from Atlanta, won the award for Best Delegate in the Eastern Mediterranean Region for his representation of Saudi Arabia.

Mercer's delegation also included Ashila Jiwani, senior global health studies major and lead delegate; Kaitlyn Koontz, senior global health studies major; Samuel Dunklin, senior global health studies major; Lane Benton, senior global health studies major; Bansari Patel, junior global health studies major; Maggie Kowalchuk, sophomore global health studies major; Moriah Roycroft, sophomore global health studies major; Miranda Stephen, junior international affairs major; David Stokes, sophomore international affairs major; Sophie Leveille, senior music major and international affairs minor; and Alex Grandinetti, junior international business and global development studies double-major.

AMWHO was created in January 2014 to simulate the proceedings and procedures of the World Health Organization.

The annual international conference is open to undergraduate and graduate students, and, each year, it is centered on a different health issue. These issues have included health in times of conflict, universal health coverage and antimicrobial resistance.

This year, the discussion topic was “Climate Change: The Global Health Response.”

“Working alongside nearly 200 students from institutions across North America, Mercer students discussed the relationship between climate change and global health outcomes, debated policy and took the lead on drafting resolutions,” said Dr. Amy Nichols-Belo, assistant professor of global health and AMWHO faculty adviser. “Our delegation demonstrated sophisticated knowledge of global health, economics and politics. I'm extremely proud of their successes.”

Mercer students have won awards at each of the four national AMWHO conferences.