Northsider Jessica jointly wins a major award in New York City

A NORTHSIDE student has beaten off 3,500 competitors to jointly receive a prestigious international award at the United Nations in New York.

In a first for Ireland, Jessica Toal, from Raheny, and her colleague Eimear Hickey, from Foxrock, received the Best Delegates Award at the international Change the World Model United Nations (CWMUN).

The Model UN competition brings together over 3,500 students from around the world to competitively debate major issues on the international political agenda.

Jessica and Eimear were the first Irish students to receive the prestigious honour which was presented in front of the full UN General Assembly.

Similar to the United Nations, CWMUN divides students into themed sections.

Jessica and Eimear were designated to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and their team’s topics included natural disaster risk mitigation strategies for vulnerable countries and ocean conservation.

To encourage research on foreign policies and international relations, all students are assigned to a country other than their own which saw the UCwD Team representing Sweden.

Jessica is an MSc International Business student at Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School while Eimear attends the UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business.

The event chairperson said Jessica stood out in terms of public speaking skills and her ability to capture the room by making the audience truly care about the issues.

In addition, she exhibited high diplomacy skills in all of her communications.

“Speaking at the podium of the UN General Assembly Hall is surreal enough, let alone actually winning,” said Jessica.

“This award means a lot to me and has given me an experience I will never forget.

“I now know that I can speak in front of anyone and just about anywhere without feeling daunted or insecure.

“Working with such a magnitude of international students was a unique experience.”

Jessica and Eimear travelled to New York as part of a team of seven students from the UCD Investors and Entrepreneurs Society.

They included Cameron Dorlas, MSc in International Business 2019 who received the Honourable Delegate award for his ability to discuss climate change in reference to world health issues.