SEATTLE, WA – Two Lewis-Clark State College students brought home awards from the annual West Coast Model European Union competition, held March 6-7 at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Juniors Tristan Hoffmann and Elleona Roberts Richmond received recognition for their roles representing Austria at the event. Hoffmann, who is studying history with minors in Spanish and communications, earned an Outstanding Paper Award for best position paper in his role as Austrian chancellor at the event. Richmond, who is studying social sciences with an emphasis in political science and a minor in Spanish, received an Honorable Mention Award for her role as Austrian minister of the economy.
The Model EU simulates a European Council Summit, with students taking on roles as heads of government, ministers, and representatives of EU institutions. This year’s policy agenda tackled relevant issues including military procurement alignment; accelerated accession for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia; arctic rare earth resource access; and enhanced regulation of large digital platforms.
This year’s competition included teams from Brigham Young University, the Claremont Colleges, Portland State Community College, University of Washington, San Francisco State University, and University of Wyoming, with LC State being one of the smallest schools in the program.
Hoffmann and Richmond continue a strong run for LC State at the Model EU event. The college has earned a total of nine awards since joining the competition in 2013, and five of those awards have come in the past three years. LC State brings two students each year, with each student being eligible to win one award, meaning the team has brought home five of six possible awards in the past three years.
Last year, one participant also had the opportunity to present research at the Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union at Claremont College — only the third LC State student to receive the honor, and the first in a decade. LC State also acted as co-host for the competition’s 2025 presidency alongside its University of Washington counterparts, a first for the Warriors.
