Tom Siebels is a long-time participant of OLMUN, both as a delegate and as a Chair. He started out as a delegate from 2012 to 2014. Afterwards, he took a few years off until he returned in 2021 and joined as a chair. This year being his last as a participant, we decided to interview Tom and have him talk about his time at OLMUN.
When asked about his favorite year to participate, Tom couldn’t decide on a specific year and instead mentioned two: his third and last year as a delegate and his first year as a chair. He explained that his final participation as a delegate was special because, thanks to the experience gathered in the previous years, he was able to proactively join various debates without hesitation. This confidence helped him properly enjoy the entirety of the conference.
His first year as a chair was just as special. He told us that the feedback from the delegates had a big impact on him. Being in the role of a chair for the first time can be distressing, so having the delegates tell him that they loved the conference and maybe even wanted to try chairing or be more proactive next year was understandably a reason to feel proud.
When asked if he prefers larger or smaller committees, Tom answered that as a delegate, he enjoyed larger committees more because it is a much more impressive view to look down from the stage or podium and see a lot of people listening to you. Meanwhile, as a chair, he prefers smaller committees because chairing a committee with many delegates is more tedious and less personal than a smaller one. He prefers the personal connection you get when interacting with a rather small committee.
In response to the question about one of his favorite moments, Tom explained that holding his very first speech was one of the most special moments. Seeing the hard work that he put in pay off and presenting it in front of a lot of people is understandably memorable.
When asked why he decided to stop participating, Tom said it was to make way for and encourage other people to have the opportunity to try chairing. He also added that being 26 years old, the age gap is steadily increasing, and it is better for younger people to take on his role. Additionally, with him working full time, he can’t easily find time for the OLMUN conference anymore.
Lastly, he was asked if there are some things that he wants to tell people who are participating at OLMUN for the first time. To quote, “Find your style and be your own delegate. There is no one right way to be a delegate, so just do what’s most fun.”
By Jan Grauer
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