Martha Byrne ’25 is a senior economics major with minors in data science, constitutional studies, and French. She is part of the Glynn Family Honors Program and has participated in the Nanovic Institute's Midwest Model EU course for two years. She shares in this article some of her experiences in the program, including being part of the award-winning Notre Dame team this past year (2024).
I joined Model European Union my sophomore year on a whim, not knowing that it would become one of my favorite Notre Dame experiences. In high school, I enjoyed working on a project about the European Union. So, when I saw an opening in a one-credit course about the EU, it piqued my interest. I signed up, despite not knowing much about the Nanovic Institute.
In the class of about ten students, we spent each week learning about different aspects of the EU—from its history to its institutions to its policies and its role in Europe and the world. Notre Dame was assigned Greece and the Netherlands, and each of us took on the role of one of these EU countries. We wrote draft directives, allowing us to take a deeper dive into our country and topic area. In class, we peer-reviewed these directives and practiced our negotiation skills to prepare for the conference.
Model EU allowed me to apply the technical and theoretical economics knowledge I learned in my classes to practical scenarios.
As an economics major, I have always had multidisciplinary interests. In the future, I hope to work in public policy on economic issues. Model EU allowed me to apply the technical and theoretical economics knowledge I learned in my classes to practical scenarios. During my sophomore year, I was a member of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, representing France and focusing on economically feasible energy policies. This past year, I took a step further away from my major to join the Environmental Council, representing Greece. I combined my economics knowledge with my passion for the environment to write a draft directive on an economically feasible way to increase bird conservation in the agricultural sector across the EU.
Model EU let me connect with students from different majors with shared interests in EU policy, both at Notre Dame and from other universities at the conference. I worked closely with other Notre Dame Greek delegates to pass Greece’s environmental proposals. In addition to my directive on birds, I campaigned for a proposal on the regulation of fish used in spa treatments. The proposal, written by Demetrios Fotopoulos, the Greek delegate to the European Council, spurred debate described as some of the most impressive ever heard at the conference, ranging from nuanced to ridiculous. Through working with and supporting the delegates of countries with similar values as Greece, I garnered staunch support and successfully passed both pieces of legislation.
The Model EU course prepared the other Notre Dame delegates and me well for the conference. Beyond our strong knowledge of the EU and well-thought-out directives, Anna Dolezal and Abigail Lewis helped me and others develop our diplomacy, helping the Notre Dame Greek Delegation place first. My hard work and negotiation skills paid off, and I was voted first in the Environmental Council.
Model EU has been an incredible experience that has helped me learn so much and meet many great people over the past two years. I look forward to the conference this year!
If you are interested in joining the Model EU course for the spring semester of 2025, add EURO 30006 Model EU to your schedule during the course registration period.