Modeling diplomacy
Author: lskramer
ISU at the 2025 Great Plains Model Arab League conference
This April, four students from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) received the Overall Outstanding Delegations Award for their representation of Saudi Arabia at the Great Plains Model Arab League (MAL) Conference, hosted at Missouri State University.
The students, all part of Associate Professor Nell Gabiam’s independent study political science course, are Kale Overton (’26 political science, journalism), Sophie Dickie (’26 anthropology, international studies), Madison Williams (’27 political science. International studies), and Jordan Cunningham (’26 political science, biology, anthropology).
In addition to the team award, each student received individual awards for their representation of each of Saudi Arabia’s three councils (political affairs, joint defense, and environmental affairs). Overton received the Outstanding Delegation Award for his role on Saudi Arabia’s political affairs council. Dickie and Williams earned Honorable Mention awards for their role on Saudi Arabia’s joint defense council, and Cunningham received Honorable Mention for her role on Saudi Arabia’s environmental affairs council.
What is the Model Arab League?
The Model Arab League is a rigorous academic simulation of the League of Arab States, where student delegates step into the role of diplomats for a weekend. Representing one of the league’s 22-member nations, the students participate in both general and specialized councils. During the conference, students draft and debate resolutions on key regional and global issues, guided by an agenda that reflects real-world concerns of the Arab League. All discussions follow formal parliamentary procedures, and any resolutions that pass through individual councils are brought before the full assembly in a summit session for final debate and voting.
Conference prep
The students started preparing in Gabiam’s course for the MAL conference in fall 2024, where they focused on learning about the different countries of the Arab League. They researched specific countries and presented their findings to the class.
“I think the first semester was probably my favorite because we got to learn so much,” Williams said.
Upon registering for the MAL conference, the team discovered they had been assigned their first choice, Saudi Arabia.
“They are a massive powerhouse,” Overton said. “Especially for our first time going, it was great to be Saudi Arabia because they have a lot of sway.”
The MAL team dedicated spring 2025 to conference preparation. Each student was assigned a specific Saudi Arabia council and spent weeks working on formal council position papers, which detailed the country’s vision and policies for each council. They also worked on draft resolutions to be presented as Saudi delegates. Finally, with the help of Erin Valerio-Garsow, LAS assistant director of advising, the team reviewed the parliamentary procedure used by the Arab League and participated in role-play exercises, giving the students a chance to practice.
Enjoying the experience
The MAL conference allowed students to experience what it’s like to engage in real-life diplomacy. All agreed that it was challenging, a little nerve wracking, and overall fun.
“It was a lot of fun,” Overton said. “The first day, all of us were kind of nervous and thinking we just wanted to hold our own, but by the end of the first day, we were alright,”
This opportunity has given students a glimpse into what their future careers might look like.
“I feel a lot more knowledgeable and more capable to go on and continue from this,” Williams said.
The students appreciate the chance to take part in experiences like MAL.
“It’s really great to be able to see that this is all here,” Overton said. “All of these opportunities are here.”
Williams’ advice for future MAL students is to enjoy the experience.
“It is absolutely worth it. I would have been happy even if it didn’t result in going to the actual conference just because I feel like I gained so much knowledge that I wouldn’t otherwise have.”