Dear Delegates,

Welcome to UPMUNC LVIII! My name is Ria Sood, and I’ll be your chair for this Historical Crisis Committee on the Council of Nicaea. On behalf of me and your staffers, I’d like to express how excited we are to welcome you to the conference!

This committee represents a turning point in both Christian and imperial history. Faith, power, and doctrine collide, allowing you to step into not only a simulation of diplomacy but into a theological and political storm that will define an empire and the future of a faith. I urge you to think outside the box, using the historical background of the Council as the basis for your debate. Dado and I are excited to see how each of you tackles unforeseen challenges and crisis breaks that arise in committee!

A little bit about me: I’m a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences studying economics. I’m from the Baltimore suburbs, but I love being in Philly for school. My first time doing Model UN was in college, and I am an Assistant Chief of Staff in INTERCOL, the University of Pennsylvania’s collegiate Model UN team.

Outside of academics, I enjoy hiking and exploring new parts of Philly, lounging around campus with my friends, and doing the NYT mini crossword. I tutor elementary schoolers through the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, and I’m interested in journalism and urban studies.

I’m excited to welcome you all to UPMUNC, and I hope to do everything I can to ensure that you have the best possible experience here! Please feel free to email me or any of your staffers regarding questions about committee, and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Ria Sood

riasood@sas.upenn.edu