Despite severe funding problems, four members of ASU's Model United Nations club will head to London for their first international mock United Nations conference on Feb. 27.
More than 20 members of the nonprofit club have spent the last two months scrambling for donations to fund the trip, but only four were able to collect enough.
The estimated cost for each delegate to go is between $700 and $1,000.
"ASU is an award-winning team and extremely diverse," said Patricka Fletcher, political science and math junior and president of the club. "But so far, all our cost is out of our own pockets."
At the mock U.N. conference, delegates from universities around the world will represent various countries and use diplomacy to hypothetically solve real problems facing the world.
The four ASU students attending the conference in London will represent Serbia and Montenegro.
Kody Kness, religious studies senior and vice president of the club, is one of them.
"This gives us awareness of global issues," he said. "[At the mock U.N. conference] we create new resolutions aiding our countries, but also try to make a bond with other countries. I'm excited to apply what I've been learning."
Though only four are attending, the team of 23 has been researching and compiling data since it received the invitation.
The team said its experience and diversity, coupled with support from a U.S. ambassador, would help them snag an award.
"We have incredible diversity," said Ajinkya Tulpule, former model U.N. president and ASU graduate. "Every single continent is represented in our group, so we have diversity of culture and diversity of thought.
"Plus, [Ambassador Sharon Wilkinson's] presence is a big help. She can easily guide us in where to go with our club."
Wilkinson, former ambassador to Mozambique, became the team's co-adviser.
Wilkinson is serving as a diplomat at ASU through the Diplomats in Residence Program. In that role, Wilkinson recruits minorities for the U.S. Department of State.
The delegates leave for London Wednesday and will return March 2.
Donations to help the delegates can be dropped off on the third floor of the Memorial Union in box 137.
Reach the reporter at jacqueline.shoyeb@asu.edu.
