Two Redhawks, junior Trisha Dasgupta and sophomore Arshia Narula were selected by the Texas YMCA Youth Directors led by Dr. Tonjia Grimble to head Texas Model United Nations as the State Secretariat’s Secretary General and Under Secretary of Conference. 

Five years in the club, a past representative for countries like Lebanon, Costa Rica, and Russia, and the 2020-21 State Under Secretary of Parliamentary Procedure, Dasgupta is excited to step into this new position. 

“I started MUN in eighth grade and it has been a really big part of my life since then,” she said. “I feel these last five years have been leading up to this. I love this club, all the work I’ve put into it, and the potential we have to grow and learn from each other.” 

As a sophomore, Dasgupta helped to bring the global affairs club to campus as its vice president, and campus MUN sponsor Sarah Wiseman had admired her student’s transition to campus chapter president. 

“This year, Trisha was president, leading the entire club into a year of growth despite the challenges of COVID-19,” Wiseman said. “Her work has been incredible.” 

Working alongside Dasgupta, Narula acted as the campus’s parliamentarian for the 2020-21 school year, teaching parliamentary rules and procedures to members to conduct business and maintain order during meetings. 

“Whether it is through helping improve my public speaking skills, gaining more confidence, or learning the acts of cooperation and teamwork to achieve common goals, Model UN has been extremely beneficial to me in both my academic and personal life,” Narula said. “I am so thankful to be in such an amazing organization because it is the true reason for the person I have become today.” 

Moving up in position to a leader at the state level, Narula is ready to take on the new venture. 

“I feel really grateful and honored to be elected to the State Secretariat for Texas Model United Nations because it is a great opportunity that I have been provided with to network with like-minded individuals and work towards a unified vision for the Model United Nations organization,” Narula said. “I am very excited to work with the rest of the Secretariat in the coming year to reach great heights while continuously emphasizing the core values of MUN.” 

For Dasgupta, the task at hand doesn’t come without nerves, as she feels the pressure of leading a statewide club. 

“It’s definitely intimidating, thinking about how the entire program is in my hands, but I’m really going into this next year by remembering everything I’ve learned and grown from in my last four years in MUN,” she said. “It hasn’t always been easy and I’ve had to make tough decisions and work long hours, but at the end of the day I’m passionate about this club and I’ve always given it my all- whether that was as a delegate, a chair, an officer, or now as Secretary General. I’m going to give everything I have to make sure that students across the state get the same wonderful experience and meaning out of MUN that I got to have.” 

As their campus sponsor, Wiseman is confident in both Dasgupta and Narula’s capability to lead the club as part of the State Secretariat. 

“These two young women are so capable,” Wiseman said. “They will lead with grace and strength. Our world is going to be a great place with people like Trisha and Arshia working hard to make a difference.” 

Looking forward to next year, Dasgupta prepares for resuming in-person events and conferences.  

“After COVID-19, I know that everyone has been missing a lot of aspects of traditional MUN and the fun culture that we get from gathering as a community, and I’m excited to be a part of bringing that back,” she said. “I really want this next year to be engaging and an enriching experience, and I’m doing everything I can as Secretary General to build and plan conferences that delegates will enjoy.”