Baylor University Model Organization of the American States Team
Students from Baylor University are continuing to make their mark on the international stage, earning recognition in both legal advocacy and diplomatic competition this spring.
In late March, Baylor’s Human Rights Moot Court team competed in the Eleventh Inter-American Court of Human Rights Moot Court Competition, hosted by Concordia University in Austin. The competition, part of the Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States (ESMOAS) Program, brought together undergraduate teams to argue complex international legal cases before a panel of judges.
Participants tackled a hypothetical case involving issues such as citizenship, asylum, children’s rights, immigration, and national sovereignty. Teams alternated roles, arguing both for the State and the Petitioner, while drawing on key international frameworks like the American Convention on Human Rights and past rulings from global courts.
Baylor’s team—Avery Millington, Kondwani Masamba, Kenton Shieh, Ayaan Ansari, and Roger Spletzer—delivered strong performances throughout the competition. Sophomore political science major Ayaan Ansari stood out among competitors, earning the Distinguished Orator award for his excellence in argumentation and presentation.
The team is advised by Mark McGraw, a lecturer in Spanish in Baylor’s Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, with additional support from Baylor Law professors Brian Serr and Chris Galeczka.
Just weeks later, Baylor students continued their success at the Washington Model Organization of American States (MOAS), held at Trinity University in Washington, D.C. Competing against delegations from across the United States and Colombia, Baylor students represented Haiti and Bolivia in high-level diplomatic simulations.
The conference challenged students to debate pressing hemispheric issues, including border security, artificial intelligence, academic freedom, and humanitarian crises. Delegates also navigated a complex crisis scenario involving tensions in Cuba and the possibility of U.S. military intervention.
Several Baylor students earned leadership roles and honors. McKenna Croft was elected President of the General Committee for the 2027 conference, while Keegan Hunt was named Vice Chair of the Security Committee. Kondwani Masamba was selected to serve on the Assistant Secretary General’s Student Council for the upcoming year.
Head delegates Roger Spletzer and McKenna Croft led the Bolivia and Haiti delegations, respectively, supported by a team that included Oliver Jamieson, Alejandra Arriaga, Patrick Daly, Allie Tobin, Nouran Abdelrahman, Ayaan Ansari, and Jenna Moon.
Looking ahead, Baylor’s MOAS team will return to competition this fall at the ESMOAS Summit of the Americas in Houston, continuing a strong tradition of student engagement in global legal and diplomatic arenas.
Together, these achievements highlight Baylor students’ growing presence in international advocacy and policy discussions—demonstrating not only academic preparation, but the ability to think critically, argue effectively, and lead on a global stage.