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Virginia Wesleyan to Host 2017 Model NATO Challenge

Partnership with NATO-ACT brings global crisis simulation back to campus

Featured News | February 23, 2017

Virginia Wesleyan's partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Allied Command Transformation (NATO-ACT) brings the 2017 Model NATO Challenge back to campus in March. Local high school juniors and seniors from Hampton Roads will once again gather at Virginia Wesleyan College on March 31 to compete as student diplomats in the 2017 Norfolk NATO Festival’s Model NATO Challenge, a global crisis simulation.

Each student will represent one of the 28 NATO Member Nations in the Challenge, which simulates real world issues faced by today’s NATO Alliance. The top six candidates will receive a scholarship award to be applied toward the college or university of their choice. In addition, select high school students will also participate in the Model NATO Press Corp, a student press corps, that provides opportunities for burgeoning journalists to cover the event action in a live media role. The student press corps was added to the Challenge in 2016.

Virginia Wesleyan’s involvement in the Challenge stems from the College’s formal agreement with NATO-ACT, officially signed in 2013, which offers up to 25 International Student Grants of $9,000 per semester ($18,000 per year) to dependents of NATO-ACT employees stationed in Norfolk. In return, NATO-ACT offers their staff's expertise to the VWC community in the form of guest lectures, internship opportunities, experiences with NATO’s Innovation Hub, and NATO simulation opportunities like the Model NATO Challenge.

"The student diplomats, mentored by NATO officers from each of the 28 member nations, address realistic crisis situations that could be taken from tomorrow’s headlines,” says Provost Timothy O'Rourke. "The College is honored to host this extraordinary event for a third time and to partner with NATO-ACT on other mutually beneficial initiatives that provide powerful educational opportunities for both high school and college students and greatly enrich both our organizations."


ACT, headquartered in Norfolk, VA,  is NATO’s leading agent for change, driving, facilitating, and advocating continuous improvement of Alliance capabilities to maintain and enhance the military relevance and effectiveness of the Alliance. The organization’s strategic objectives include providing appropriate support to NATO missions and operations; leading NATO military transformation; and improving relationships, interaction and practical cooperation with partners, nations and international organizations.


Virginia Wesleyan and the Norfolk NATO Festival invite friends, families, students and educators to attend the 2017 Model NATO Challenge simulation Friday, March 31 at 4 p.m. in the Boyd Dining Center on the VWC campus. For more information, visit www.natofestival.org or www.act.nato.int.