Preparing to participate in a single Model United Nations competition can take upward of 40 hours of work. But planning a conference—in addition to being a full-time student (and a double major, no less)? That takes months.
Siddharth Hariharan, a sophomore majoring in political science and biochemistry and CWRU Model UN secretary-general, is finding out just how much effort it takes, as he’s leading the team in hosting a conference for local high schoolers next week.
Model UN gives students the chance to represent nations and high-level cabinet members in coming up with solutions to historical or current issues affecting the world, from Apartheid in South Africa to nuclear energy.
Hariharan became involved with the organization as a student at John P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey, joining at the encouragement of friends who knew he liked to talk—and tackle important issues.
“I enjoy coming up with creative solutions to the problems the most. Everyone can come up with a standard solution to a problem, but it’s the creative solutions that are not only innovative but also contested,” he said. “You have to debate them a little more, but that debate ultimately makes a solution stronger at the end of it.”
Hariharan has put countless hours into preparing for and participating in conferences to come up with such resolutions—and has numerous accolades to show for it, including honorable mention recognition at the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference in 2016 and at the National Collegiate Security Conference in 2015. In high school, he earned outstanding delegate recognition at the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference in 2014.
But at the last conference the Model UN team attended, he got a lesson in perseverance.
After the first day of Georgetown University’s 44th annual National Collegiate Security Conference, Hariharan decided to call it an early night and skip out on the extra hours of preparation he knew he needed if he wanted to compete.
But after just 30 minutes of rest, he woke up thinking: “You’re not a quitter. You don’t do that.”
He got right back to work—and went on to take home the Best Delegate Award at the end of the conference.
Years of involvement in Model UN have shaped Hariharan’s interests—and who he is as a person.
He had long planned to pursue a career in the medical field, but after being exposed to politics and public affairs, he knew understanding how policy issues affect health care could make him a better doctor.
Specifically, his research for Model UN spurred a passion for health policy issues in South Africa—a subject he hopes to study for a couple of years between college and medical school
“Now I’m hopefully going to have the ability to translate that knowledge and experience into real beneficial work,” Hariharan said.
By leading the effort to host the conference at CWRU, Hariharan has gained even more leadership experience to prepare him for the future.
Stop by the Tinkham Veale University Center March 7–8 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to get a glimpse of the debates. But before you do, get to know Hariharan better with this week’s five questions.