6.9.23

Shocker student expands horizons abroad thanks to scholarship funding

Most college students don’t find themselves representing a foreign nation in a debate about the environmental impact of the fashion industry, especially not while on an international trip. But thanks to Wichita State University’s Model United Nations (MUN) team, that’s exactly what WSU student Bayle Sandy did while surrounded by students from around the world at ScotMUN last semester.

At the conference, which is hosted by the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, Sandy was awarded the “Outstanding Delegate” honor for her committee – an incredible achievement considering she was originally not slated to attend. With limited funding for the MUN team, Sandy was on her own to find a way to pay for the trip. Thankfully, the Cohen Enhancement Scholarship made it possible.

Created by Dorothy and Bill Cohen, the scholarship provides a student from the Cohen Honors College with up to $4,000 to support activities that enhance their college experience, from studying abroad and attending conferences to participating in undergraduate research or service learning.

 “I am grateful to the Cohen Enhancement Scholarship for funding this extraordinary trip, as it provided me with an opportunity to expand my horizons and grow as an individual,” said Sandy. “It was my first international trip, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to go.”

ScotMUN is a fully student-run conference that brings together MUN groups for quality debates that help them understand the world in a new light, while also fostering connection and honing skills they will take well beyond their college lives.

“Participating at MUN at the international level in my college career proved immensely valuable as I prepare to enter the professional realm,” said Sandy, who will begin her senior year at Wichita State this fall, after which she will graduate with a degree in Economics and Political Science and a minor in Psychology.